701 4th St E

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

Cash flows

Asking price: $295,000
Monthly cash flow: $75
Estimated rent: $3,300/mo
Break-even price: $309,050

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 / 1 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900
3 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900

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: $295,000
Monthly cash flow: $75
Cash to close: $67,850
Cap rate: 6.7%
Cash-on-cash: 1.3%
DSCR: 1.05×
GRM: 7.4
Price per unit: $147,500
Price that breaks even: $309,050
Rent that breaks even: $3,203/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 1
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.37M vs $516K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,300
Vacancy (6%)	−$198
Collected	$3,102
Property tax Public record	−$431
Insurance Estimate	−$235
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$264
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$297
Net operating income	$1,645
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,570
Cash flow	$75
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$200

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 $1.37M, stocks $516K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $265,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$262,203 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$491,462
What you'd walk away with	$1,164,542
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($38,350) invested at 7%	$291,930
Monthly shortfalls ($10,508 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$68,942
What you'd walk away with	$360,872
Building minus stocks	$803,670

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $265,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$127,240 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$198,105
What you'd walk away with	$871,185
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($38,350) invested at 7%	$291,930
Monthly shortfalls ($34,931 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$209,848
What you'd walk away with	$501,778
Building minus stocks	$369,407

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $256,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$280,885 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$540,808
What you'd walk away with	$1,191,072
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($7,364 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$48,675
What you'd walk away with	$330,709
Building minus stocks	$860,363

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $256,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$141,891 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$228,646
What you'd walk away with	$878,909
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($27,756 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$170,776
What you'd walk away with	$452,810
Building minus stocks	$426,099

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$330,315 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$696,335
What you'd walk away with	$1,369,415
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($67,850) invested at 7%	$516,492
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	$516,492
Building minus stocks	$852,923

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$178,849 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$313,250
What you'd walk away with	$986,330
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($67,850) invested at 7%	$516,492
Monthly shortfalls ($7,919 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$51,179
What you'd walk away with	$567,670
Building minus stocks	$418,660

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$349,476 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$756,666
What you'd walk away with	$1,406,930
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
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	$498,983
Building minus stocks	$907,947

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$194,674 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$352,928
What you'd walk away with	$1,003,192
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
Monthly shortfalls ($4,584 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$30,526
What you'd walk away with	$529,509
Building minus stocks	$473,683

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $221,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$365,643 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$807,570
What you'd walk away with	$1,480,650
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($82,600) invested at 7%	$628,772
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	$628,772
Building minus stocks	$851,878

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$716,042
Minus 6% selling cost	−$42,963
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $221,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$208,758 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$390,358
What you'd walk away with	$1,063,438
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($82,600) invested at 7%	$628,772
Monthly shortfalls ($2,501 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$17,052
What you'd walk away with	$645,824
Building minus stocks	$417,614

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $213,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$383,606 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$864,131
What you'd walk away with	$1,514,394
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
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	$607,458
Building minus stocks	$906,936

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $213,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$225,135 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$436,266
What you'd walk away with	$1,086,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
Monthly shortfalls ($915 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$6,399
What you'd walk away with	$613,857
Building minus stocks	$472,672

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

mediumFire-inspection grade C: more deficiencies than typical; expect more frequent inspections and repair orders. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: 701 4TH ST E, grade/tier=C, status=In Process
low$863 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 322922140101: special assessments (payable 2026) = $863.46

Opportunities

The seller bought for $52,000 in Feb 1998, so they can take a lower offer and still come out well ahead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 322922140101: last sale 1998-02-20, $52,000
Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 139 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)	$5,175
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,819
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 1900: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1900
Market value (2026)	$243,600
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,175
Special assessments	$863
Homestead	no
Last sale	1998-02-20 · $52,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), C, status in process, renews 2024-04-25.

Nearest highway

I 94;US 10, about 309 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

2026-05-16New at $295,000