682 4th St E

Saint Paul, MN · Dayton's Bluff · Find the listing ↗

Far off

Asking price: $345,000
Monthly cash flow: −$1,035
Estimated rent: $2,100/mo
Break-even price: $150,470

Adjust these numbers in the calculator See the full breakdown

The numbers

Default: 20% down (no PMI), offer at asking, self-managed, 7.00% for 30 years, buyer pays closing costs (3%).

Estimated rent per unit Estimate

1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200

Rough screening estimate from bedroom count only ($750 + $300 per bedroom, ±15%). Not comparable-rental data; a RentCast estimate replaces it for the top candidates. Confidence: low.

Rent rules: Capped at 3%/yr for sitting tenants.

Price: $345,000
Monthly cash flow: −$1,035
Cash to close: $79,350
Cap rate: 2.8%
Cash-on-cash: −15.7%
DSCR: 0.44×
GRM: 13.7
Price per unit: $172,500
Price that breaks even: $150,470
Rent that breaks even: $3,445/mo
Cash flow turns positive: not within 30 years
Year 30: property vs stocks: $787K vs $1.51M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,100
Vacancy (6%)	−$126
Collected	$1,974
Property tax Public record	−$355
Insurance Estimate	−$231
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$168
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$189
Net operating income	$801
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,836
Cash flow	−$1,035
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$234

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr (St. Paul's cap for sitting tenants), costs +3.5%/yr. Red bars are months you'd cover out of pocket.

30 years: this property vs. the same money in stocks

This propertyStocks at 7%

Year 30 (loan paid off): property $787K, stocks $1.51M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $310,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,850) invested at 7%	$341,410
Monthly shortfalls ($335,410 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,231,063
What you'd walk away with	$1,572,473
Building minus stocks	−$785,312

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $310,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,850) invested at 7%	$341,410
Monthly shortfalls ($436,837 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,507,413
What you'd walk away with	$1,848,822
Building minus stocks	−$1,061,661

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $301,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($43,550) invested at 7%	$331,514
Monthly shortfalls ($313,584 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,161,450
What you'd walk away with	$1,492,964
Building minus stocks	−$728,619

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $301,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($43,550) invested at 7%	$331,514
Monthly shortfalls ($415,011 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,437,800
What you'd walk away with	$1,769,314
Building minus stocks	−$1,004,969

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $276,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($243,464 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$910,840
What you'd walk away with	$1,514,872
Building minus stocks	−$727,711

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $276,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($344,891 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,187,189
What you'd walk away with	$1,791,222
Building minus stocks	−$1,004,061

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $268,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,050) invested at 7%	$586,524
Monthly shortfalls ($224,303 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$850,508
What you'd walk away with	$1,437,033
Building minus stocks	−$672,688

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $268,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,050) invested at 7%	$586,524
Monthly shortfalls ($325,730 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,126,858
What you'd walk away with	$1,713,382
Building minus stocks	−$949,037

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $258,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($202,149 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$780,750
What you'd walk away with	$1,516,094
Building minus stocks	−$728,933

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $258,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$787,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($303,576 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,057,100
What you'd walk away with	$1,792,444
Building minus stocks	−$1,005,283

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $251,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($93,800) invested at 7%	$714,030
Monthly shortfalls ($184,186 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$724,190
What you'd walk away with	$1,438,219
Building minus stocks	−$673,874

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$813,133
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,788
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $251,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$764,345
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($93,800) invested at 7%	$714,030
Monthly shortfalls ($285,613 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,000,540
What you'd walk away with	$1,714,569
Building minus stocks	−$950,224

Future dollars. At 3% inflation, divide year-30 figures by about 2.4 for today's buying power. Rental profits are assumed invested, not spent.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

medium$1,263 in special assessments on the payable 2026 tax bill (often street, sewer or code-enforcement charges). Ask what they're for, whether they continue, and whether the seller pays them off at closing. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 322922410002: special assessments (payable 2026) = $1,262.58
mediumAsking is $194,530 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($150,470) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $345,000 vs. break-even $150,470

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 140 days on market

Questions for the agent

Can we see the current leases and a rent roll, with move-in dates?
What did water/sewer/trash, heat and electric cost the owner over the last 12 months?
How old are the roof, boiler or furnaces, water heaters and electrical panels?
Is the building licensed as a rental for this many units, and when was the last city inspection?
Any special assessments pending, and will the seller pay them off at closing?

Standard questions worth asking about any building.

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$4,259
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,774
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$170
Heat / mo Assumptionassumption. tenants pay heat; confirm with the agent	$0
Lawn care / mo Assumptionassumption. $120/mo for 6 months, spread over 12; no snow removal	$60
Repairs / capital reserve Rulerule. built 1874: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - side/side
Living units	2
Year built	1874
Market value (2026)	$191,500
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,259
Special assessments	$1,263
Homestead	no
Last sale	2012-01-25

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2026-12-28.

Nearest highway

I 94;US 10, about 218 m away.

Crime in Dayton's Bluff

971 incidents in the last 12 months (52 per 1,000 residents), −6% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-05-15New at $345,000