St. Paul › West Side

829 Brown Ave

Saint Paul, MN · West Side (Cherokee Heights, District del Sol) · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $345,000
Monthly cash flow: −$667
Estimated rent: $2,700/mo
Break-even price: $219,644

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: $345,000
Monthly cash flow: −$667
Cash to close: $79,350
Cap rate: 4.1%
Cash-on-cash: −10.1%
DSCR: 0.64×
GRM: 10.6
Price per unit: $172,500
Price that breaks even: $219,644
Rent that breaks even: $3,555/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 19
Year 30: property vs stocks: $840K vs $1.01M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,700
Vacancy (6%)	−$162
Collected	$2,538
Property tax Estimate	−$519
Insurance Estimate	−$188
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$216
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$216
Net operating income	$1,169
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,836
Cash flow	−$667
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 $840K, stocks $1.01M. 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%$15,688 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$17,844
What you'd walk away with	$805,006
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,850) invested at 7%	$341,410
Monthly shortfalls ($146,774 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$687,341
What you'd walk away with	$1,028,751
Building minus stocks	−$223,745

	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 ($261,492 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,024,804
What you'd walk away with	$1,366,213
Building minus stocks	−$579,052

	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%$21,105 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$24,685
What you'd walk away with	$789,030
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($43,550) invested at 7%	$331,514
Monthly shortfalls ($130,365 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$624,568
What you'd walk away with	$956,082
Building minus stocks	−$167,052

	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 ($239,666 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$955,190
What you'd walk away with	$1,286,704
Building minus stocks	−$522,359

	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%$41,220 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$52,504
What you'd walk away with	$839,666
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($80,360 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$401,778
What you'd walk away with	$1,005,810
Building minus stocks	−$166,144

	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%$624 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$628
What you'd walk away with	$787,789
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($170,170 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$705,208
What you'd walk away with	$1,309,240
Building minus stocks	−$521,451

	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%$49,081 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$64,371
What you'd walk away with	$828,716
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,050) invested at 7%	$586,524
Monthly shortfalls ($69,060 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$353,313
What you'd walk away with	$939,838
Building minus stocks	−$111,122

	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%$2,089 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,165
What you'd walk away with	$766,510
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,050) invested at 7%	$586,524
Monthly shortfalls ($152,475 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$646,414
What you'd walk away with	$1,232,938
Building minus stocks	−$466,428

	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%$59,081 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$80,210
What you'd walk away with	$867,371
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($56,906 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$299,394
What you'd walk away with	$1,034,738
Building minus stocks	−$167,367

	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%$4,736 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,068
What you'd walk away with	$792,229
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($132,967 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$579,558
What you'd walk away with	$1,314,902
Building minus stocks	−$522,673

	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%$67,941 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$94,943
What you'd walk away with	$859,288
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($93,800) invested at 7%	$714,030
Monthly shortfalls ($47,803 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$257,567
What you'd walk away with	$971,596
Building minus stocks	−$112,308

	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%$7,745 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$8,537
What you'd walk away with	$772,882
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($93,800) invested at 7%	$714,030
Monthly shortfalls ($118,013 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$526,468
What you'd walk away with	$1,240,497
Building minus stocks	−$467,615

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 082822430060: homestead=Y
mediumAsking is $125,356 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($219,644) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $345,000 vs. break-even $219,644
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 082822430060: special assessments (payable 2026) = $432.50

Opportunities

None found.

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. $296,700 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$6,223
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,260
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. base rate	8% / 8%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - side/side
Living units	2
Year built	1937
Market value (2026)	$296,700
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,954
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2016-12-14 · $199,900

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2029-03-03.

Nearest highway

US 52, about 405 m away.

Crime in West Side

713 incidents in the last 12 months (46 per 1,000 residents), −16% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-09-11New at $345,000