687 Aurora Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Summit – University (Rondo, Cathedral Hill) · Find the listing ↗

Far off

Asking price: $349,900
Monthly cash flow: −$837
Estimated rent: $2,700/mo
Break-even price: $192,674

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

2 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,350 $1,150–$1,550
2 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,350 $1,150–$1,550

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: $349,900
Monthly cash flow: −$837
Cash to close: $80,477
Cap rate: 3.5%
Cash-on-cash: −12.5%
DSCR: 0.55×
GRM: 10.8
Price per unit: $174,950
Price that breaks even: $192,674
Rent that breaks even: $3,787/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 26
Year 30: property vs stocks: $804K vs $1.23M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,700
Vacancy (6%)	−$162
Collected	$2,538
Property tax Public record	−$601
Insurance Estimate	−$222
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$216
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$243
Net operating income	$1,025
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,862
Cash flow	−$837
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$237

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 $804K, stocks $1.23M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $314,910 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	$798,341
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($45,487) invested at 7%	$346,259
Monthly shortfalls ($229,392 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$937,627
What you'd walk away with	$1,283,885
Building minus stocks	−$485,544

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $314,910 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	$798,341
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($45,487) invested at 7%	$346,259
Monthly shortfalls ($359,798 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,292,933
What you'd walk away with	$1,639,192
Building minus stocks	−$840,851

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $305,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$85 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$85
What you'd walk away with	$775,610
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,187) invested at 7%	$336,363
Monthly shortfalls ($207,652 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$868,099
What you'd walk away with	$1,204,461
Building minus stocks	−$428,851

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $305,910 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	$775,525
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,187) invested at 7%	$336,363
Monthly shortfalls ($337,973 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,223,320
What you'd walk away with	$1,559,683
Building minus stocks	−$784,158

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $279,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$5,376 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,766
What you'd walk away with	$804,107
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($80,477) invested at 7%	$612,611
Monthly shortfalls ($141,517 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$618,621
What you'd walk away with	$1,231,233
Building minus stocks	−$427,126

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $279,920 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	$798,341
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($80,477) invested at 7%	$612,611
Monthly shortfalls ($266,547 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$968,162
What you'd walk away with	$1,580,773
Building minus stocks	−$782,432

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $271,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$8,708 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$9,634
What you'd walk away with	$785,159
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($78,177) invested at 7%	$595,103
Monthly shortfalls ($125,688 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$562,158
What you'd walk away with	$1,157,261
Building minus stocks	−$372,102

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $271,920 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	$775,525
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($78,177) invested at 7%	$595,103
Monthly shortfalls ($247,386 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$907,831
What you'd walk away with	$1,502,934
Building minus stocks	−$727,409

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $262,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$13,653 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$15,651
What you'd walk away with	$813,992
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($97,972) invested at 7%	$745,788
Monthly shortfalls ($107,891 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$496,569
What you'd walk away with	$1,242,357
Building minus stocks	−$428,365

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$849,299
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,958
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $262,425 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	$798,341
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($97,972) invested at 7%	$745,788
Monthly shortfalls ($224,645 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$836,225
What you'd walk away with	$1,582,013
Building minus stocks	−$783,672

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $254,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$18,371 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$21,681
What you'd walk away with	$797,206
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($95,172) invested at 7%	$724,474
Monthly shortfalls ($94,646 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$446,039
What you'd walk away with	$1,170,512
Building minus stocks	−$373,306

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$825,027
Minus 6% selling cost	−$49,502
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $254,925 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	$775,525
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($95,172) invested at 7%	$724,474
Monthly shortfalls ($206,682 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$779,665
What you'd walk away with	$1,504,138
Building minus stocks	−$728,613

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

mediumAsking is $157,226 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($192,674) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $349,900 vs. break-even $192,674
low$432 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 352923410014: special assessments (payable 2026) = $432.50

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 171 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)	$7,214
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,669
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 1905: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1905
Market value (2026)	$313,200
Property tax, payable 2026	$7,214
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	no
Last sale	2021-05-05 · $323,500

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status renewal due, renews 2024-08-02.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 357 m away.

Crime in Summit – University

1,067 incidents in the last 12 months (59 per 1,000 residents), −13% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-04-14New at $349,900