St. Paul › Frogtown

686 Sherburne Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Frogtown (Thomas-Dale) · Find the listing ↗

Cash flows

Asking price: $119,900
Monthly cash flow: $1,268
Estimated rent: $3,675/mo
Break-even price: $358,193

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

3 bed / 2 bath (est.)$2,000 $1,700–$2,300
2 bed / 2 bath (est.)$1,675 $1,275–$2,050

RentCast long-term rent estimate per unit, with our adjustments listed below. Confidence: medium. As of 2026-10-02. See the comparable rentals ↓

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

Price: $119,900
Monthly cash flow: $1,268
Cash to close: $27,577
Cap rate: 19.1%
Cash-on-cash: 55.2%
DSCR: 2.99×
GRM: 2.7
Price per unit: $59,950
Price that breaks even: $358,193
Rent that breaks even: $2,028/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 1
Year 30: property vs stocks: $2.43M vs $210K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,675
Vacancy (6%)	−$220
Collected	$3,454
Property tax Public record	−$485
Insurance Estimate	−$209
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$294
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$331
Net operating income	$1,906
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$638
Cash flow	$1,268
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$81

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 $2.43M, stocks $210K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $107,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$781,869 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,045,795
What you'd walk away with	$2,319,362
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($15,587) invested at 7%	$118,652
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$118,652
Building minus stocks	$2,200,710

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $107,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$604,372 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,562,183
What you'd walk away with	$1,835,750
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($15,587) invested at 7%	$118,652
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$118,652
Building minus stocks	$1,717,098

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $98,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$803,695 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,115,408
What you'd walk away with	$2,366,159
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($14,287) invested at 7%	$108,756
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$108,756
Building minus stocks	$2,257,403

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $98,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$626,198 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,631,796
What you'd walk away with	$1,882,547
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($14,287) invested at 7%	$108,756
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$108,756
Building minus stocks	$1,773,791

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $95,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$813,824 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,157,085
What you'd walk away with	$2,430,652
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($27,577) invested at 7%	$209,923
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$209,923
Building minus stocks	$2,220,729

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $95,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$636,327 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,673,473
What you'd walk away with	$1,947,040
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($27,577) invested at 7%	$209,923
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$209,923
Building minus stocks	$1,737,117

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $87,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$832,985 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,217,416
What you'd walk away with	$2,468,167
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($25,277) invested at 7%	$192,415
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$192,415
Building minus stocks	$2,275,752

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $87,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$655,487 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,733,804
What you'd walk away with	$1,984,555
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($25,277) invested at 7%	$192,415
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$192,415
Building minus stocks	$1,792,140

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $89,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$828,182 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,202,295
What you'd walk away with	$2,475,862
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($33,572) invested at 7%	$255,559
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$255,559
Building minus stocks	$2,220,303

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$291,029
Minus 6% selling cost	−$17,462
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $89,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$650,685 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,718,683
What you'd walk away with	$1,992,250
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($33,572) invested at 7%	$255,559
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$255,559
Building minus stocks	$1,736,691

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $82,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$846,146 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,258,856
What you'd walk away with	$2,509,607
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($30,772) invested at 7%	$234,244
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$234,244
Building minus stocks	$2,275,363

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$266,756
Minus 6% selling cost	−$16,005
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $82,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$668,648 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,775,244
What you'd walk away with	$2,025,995
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($30,772) invested at 7%	$234,244
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$234,244
Building minus stocks	$1,791,751

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.

Comparable rentals

Nearby rentals RentCast matched to each unit type, as of 2026-10-02. The estimate above is RentCast's, weighted toward the closest matches.

3 bed / 2 bath estimate $2,000/mo · range $1,700–$2,300

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Match
987 Dayton Ave, Saint Paul 55104	$2,050	3 / 1	2,000	0.9 mi	2026-08-26	93%
989 Dayton Ave, Saint Paul 55104	$2,050	3 / 1	2,000	0.9 mi	2026-10-02	93%
987 Dayton Ave, Unit 989, Saint Paul 55104 off market	$2,150	3 / 1	2,000	0.9 mi	2026-09-08	93%
653 Galtier St, Saint Paul 55103	$1,750	3 / 1.5	1,520	0.9 mi	2025-08-06	91%
766 W Minnehaha Ave, Unit Lowera, Saint Paul 55104 off market	$1,695	3 / 2.5	1,395	0.5 mi	2026-02-25	90%
690 Virginia St, Saint Paul 55103	$1,500	3 / 1	1,620	0.8 mi	2023-03-24	90%
690 Virginia Ave, Saint Paul 55103 off market	$1,500	3 / 1	1,620	0.8 mi	2023-03-24	90%
220/222 Virginia St, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$2,500	3 / 1.5	—	0.9 mi	2026-06-24	90%
617 Marshall Ave, Unit 1, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$2,290	3 / 1	1,400	0.5 mi	2023-05-04	88%
935-937 Marshall Ave, Saint Paul 55104 off market	$2,200	3 / 1	1,294	0.7 mi	2025-12-09	86%

2 bed / 2 bath estimate $1,675/mo · range $1,275–$2,050

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Match
61 Dale St N, Apt 3, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$2,380	2 / 2	1,400	0.9 mi	2026-08-11	92%
1021 Charles 1021 Ave, Unit 1, Saint Paul 55104 off market	$1,650	2 / 1	—	0.7 mi	2026-06-13	88%
266 W Fuller Ave, Unit 12, Saint Paul 55103 off market	$975	2 / 1	—	0.9 mi	2026-07-14	88%
138 Arundel St, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,300	2 / 1	—	0.9 mi	2026-02-24	88%
240 W Fuller Ave, Unit 9, Saint Paul 55103 off market	$975	2 / 1	—	0.9 mi	2026-07-22	88%
625 Marshall Ave, Saint Paul 55104 off market	$1,912	2 / 1.5	1,100	0.5 mi	2026-04-01	87%
203-207 Virginia St, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,825	2 / 1	1,300	0.9 mi	2025-12-10	86%
826 Selby Ave, Apt 2, Saint Paul 55104	$1,700	2 / 1	1,200	0.7 mi	2026-10-02	85%
425 Dayton Ave, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,450	2 / 1	1,200	0.8 mi	2026-03-24	85%
913 Ashland Ave, Saint Paul 55104	$1,600	2 / 1	1,150	1.0 mi	2026-09-05	84%

On the maps, this property and comparable rentals. Comparable rentals and rent estimate: RentCast. Rents are asking rents from listings; check them against the actual leases.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

highOn the city's Vacant Building registry (Category 2). In St. Paul, Categories 2 and 3 can't be sold or occupied without city approval and a code-compliance plan. Public record: St. Paul Vacant Buildings registry: 686 SHERBURNE AVE, Category 2, vacant as of 04/04/2025
mediumNo rental certificate (CofO) on file in the city's data. Ask whether the building is licensed as a rental and when it was last inspected. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: no record for 686 SHERBURNE AVE (dataset last updated mid-2025)
medium$12,306 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 352923140183: special assessments (payable 2026) = $12,306.02

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)	$5,816
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,504
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 1910: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1910
Market value (2026)	$263,600
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,816
Special assessments	$12,306
Homestead	no
Last sale	2023-05-15 · $265,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

No record in St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential (dataset last updated mid-2025).

Nearest highway

I 94, about 509 m away.

Crime in Frogtown

828 incidents in the last 12 months (53 per 1,000 residents), −26% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-05-15New at $119,900