790 Geranium Ave E

Saint Paul, MN · Payne – Phalen (Railroad Island) · Find the listing ↗

Asking price: $285,000
Monthly cash flow: −$285
Estimated rent: $2,700/mo
Break-even price: $231,508

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: $285,000
Monthly cash flow: −$285
Cash to close: $65,550
Cap rate: 5.2%
Cash-on-cash: −5.2%
DSCR: 0.81×
GRM: 8.8
Price per unit: $142,500
Price that breaks even: $231,508
Rent that breaks even: $3,070/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 9
Year 30: property vs stocks: $866K vs $595K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,700
Vacancy (6%)	−$162
Collected	$2,538
Property tax Estimate	−$407
Insurance Estimate	−$210
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	$1,232
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,517
Cash flow	−$285
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$193

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 $866K, stocks $595K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	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%$88,311 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$128,386
What you'd walk away with	$778,650
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($48,014 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$273,680
What you'd walk away with	$555,714
Building minus stocks	$222,936

	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 $256,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$18,493 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$21,708
What you'd walk away with	$671,972
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($108,602 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$522,309
What you'd walk away with	$804,343
Building minus stocks	−$132,371

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$100,981 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$151,983
What you'd walk away with	$779,431
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($35,750) invested at 7%	$272,138
Monthly shortfalls ($38,858 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$227,664
What you'd walk away with	$499,802
Building minus stocks	$279,629

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$24,995 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$30,390
What you'd walk away with	$657,838
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($35,750) invested at 7%	$272,138
Monthly shortfalls ($93,277 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$461,378
What you'd walk away with	$733,516
Building minus stocks	−$75,678

	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%$132,009 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$215,565
What you'd walk away with	$865,829
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
Monthly shortfalls ($15,757 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$96,327
What you'd walk away with	$595,310
Building minus stocks	$270,519

	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%$42,757 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$56,391
What you'd walk away with	$706,655
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
Monthly shortfalls ($56,910 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$292,460
What you'd walk away with	$791,443
Building minus stocks	−$84,788

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $220,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$146,251 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$247,708
What you'd walk away with	$875,155
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,250) invested at 7%	$481,475
Monthly shortfalls ($10,837 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$68,138
What you'd walk away with	$549,613
Building minus stocks	$325,542

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $220,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$51,520 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$70,366
What you'd walk away with	$697,814
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,250) invested at 7%	$481,475
Monthly shortfalls ($46,513 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$246,103
What you'd walk away with	$727,578
Building minus stocks	−$29,764

	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%$157,960 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$275,475
What you'd walk away with	$925,738
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
Monthly shortfalls ($7,577 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$48,771
What you'd walk away with	$656,229
Building minus stocks	$269,509

	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%$59,081 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$83,115
What you'd walk away with	$733,379
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
Monthly shortfalls ($39,105 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$211,719
What you'd walk away with	$819,177
Building minus stocks	−$85,798

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $206,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$172,717 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$312,269
What you'd walk away with	$939,716
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,000) invested at 7%	$586,144
Monthly shortfalls ($4,371 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$29,005
What you'd walk away with	$615,148
Building minus stocks	$324,568

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $206,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$68,914 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$100,560
What you'd walk away with	$728,008
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,000) invested at 7%	$586,144
Monthly shortfalls ($30,975 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$172,603
What you'd walk away with	$758,747
Building minus stocks	−$30,739

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

mediumThe seller is homesteaded, so the current tax bill is lower than what an investor will pay. We use an estimated non-homestead tax instead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 292922110106: homestead=Y
low$796 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 292922110106: special assessments (payable 2026) = $795.86

Opportunities

The seller bought for $65,000 in May 1998, so they can take a lower offer and still come out well ahead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 292922110106: last sale 1998-05-29, $65,000
Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 176 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 Estimateestimate. Seller is homesteaded; an investor pays the non-homestead rate. $232,800 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$4,883
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,519
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 1914: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1914
Market value (2026)	$232,800
Property tax, payable 2026	$3,490
Special assessments	$796
Homestead	yes
Last sale	1998-05-29 · $65,000

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 35E;US 10, about 1686 m away.

Crime in Payne – Phalen

1,694 incidents in the last 12 months (51 per 1,000 residents), −10% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-04-09New at $285,000