852 Ashland Ave

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

Far off

Asking price: $625,000
Monthly cash flow: −$2,020
Estimated rent: $4,500/mo
Break-even price: $245,502

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
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200
1 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,050 $900–$1,200

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: $625,000
Monthly cash flow: −$2,020
Cash to close: $143,750
Cap rate: 2.5%
Cash-on-cash: −16.9%
DSCR: 0.39×
GRM: 11.6
Price per unit: $156,250
Price that breaks even: $245,502
Rent that breaks even: $7,123/mo
Cash flow turns positive: not within 30 years
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.43M vs $3.03M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,500
Vacancy (6%)	−$270
Collected	$4,230
Property tax Public record	−$1,354
Insurance Estimate	−$405
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$360
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$405
Net operating income	$1,307
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$3,327
Cash flow	−$2,020
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$423

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 $1.43M, stocks $3.03M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $562,500 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($81,250) invested at 7%	$618,496
Monthly shortfalls ($722,957 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,517,063
What you'd walk away with	$3,135,559
Building minus stocks	−$1,709,542

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $562,500 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($81,250) invested at 7%	$618,496
Monthly shortfalls ($940,300 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,109,241
What you'd walk away with	$3,727,737
Building minus stocks	−$2,301,720

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $553,500 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,950) invested at 7%	$608,600
Monthly shortfalls ($701,131 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,447,450
What you'd walk away with	$3,056,050
Building minus stocks	−$1,652,850

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $553,500 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,950) invested at 7%	$608,600
Monthly shortfalls ($918,474 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,039,628
What you'd walk away with	$3,648,228
Building minus stocks	−$2,245,028

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $500,000 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($143,750) invested at 7%	$1,094,262
Monthly shortfalls ($556,389 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,936,948
What you'd walk away with	$3,031,210
Building minus stocks	−$1,605,193

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $500,000 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($143,750) invested at 7%	$1,094,262
Monthly shortfalls ($773,732 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,529,126
What you'd walk away with	$3,623,388
Building minus stocks	−$2,197,371

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $492,000 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($141,450) invested at 7%	$1,076,753
Monthly shortfalls ($537,228 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,876,617
What you'd walk away with	$2,953,371
Building minus stocks	−$1,550,171

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $492,000 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($141,450) invested at 7%	$1,076,753
Monthly shortfalls ($754,571 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,468,795
What you'd walk away with	$3,545,549
Building minus stocks	−$2,142,349

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $468,750 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($175,000) invested at 7%	$1,332,145
Monthly shortfalls ($481,542 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,701,280
What you'd walk away with	$3,033,424
Building minus stocks	−$1,607,407

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,517,039
Minus 6% selling cost	−$91,022
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $468,750 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	$1,426,017
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($175,000) invested at 7%	$1,332,145
Monthly shortfalls ($698,886 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,293,458
What you'd walk away with	$3,625,602
Building minus stocks	−$2,199,585

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $461,250 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($172,200) invested at 7%	$1,310,830
Monthly shortfalls ($463,579 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,644,719
What you'd walk away with	$2,955,549
Building minus stocks	−$1,552,349

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,492,766
Minus 6% selling cost	−$89,566
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $461,250 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	$1,403,200
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($172,200) invested at 7%	$1,310,830
Monthly shortfalls ($680,922 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,236,897
What you'd walk away with	$3,547,727
Building minus stocks	−$2,144,527

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 $379,498 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($245,502) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $625,000 vs. break-even $245,502
low$865 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 022823130067: special assessments (payable 2026) = $865.00

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 Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$16,243
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$4,857
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$340
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 1909: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	apartments 4-6 rental units
Living units	4
Year built	1909
Market value (2026)	$774,400
Property tax, payable 2026	$16,243
Special assessments	$865
Homestead	no
Last sale	2026-04-16 · $605,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), B, status pending, renews 2025-12-08.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 876 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

2026-08-13Price cut at $625,000 (was $665,000) · from listing history
2026-08-13New at $625,000