852 Jessamine Ave E

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

Cash flows

Asking price: $260,000
Monthly cash flow: $95
Estimated rent: $3,000/mo
Break-even price: $277,910

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
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: $260,000
Monthly cash flow: $95
Cash to close: $59,800
Cap rate: 6.8%
Cash-on-cash: 1.9%
DSCR: 1.07×
GRM: 7.2
Price per unit: $130,000
Price that breaks even: $277,910
Rent that breaks even: $2,876/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 1
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.25M vs $455K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,000
Vacancy (6%)	−$180
Collected	$2,820
Property tax Public record	−$392
Insurance Estimate	−$209
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$240
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$270
Net operating income	$1,479
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,384
Cash flow	$95
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$176

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 $1.25M, stocks $455K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $234,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$244,435 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$465,733
What you'd walk away with	$1,058,956
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($33,800) invested at 7%	$257,294
Monthly shortfalls ($7,800 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$51,359
What you'd walk away with	$308,653
Building minus stocks	$750,303

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $234,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$119,676 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$189,467
What you'd walk away with	$782,689
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($33,800) invested at 7%	$257,294
Monthly shortfalls ($27,936 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$169,878
What you'd walk away with	$427,172
Building minus stocks	$355,517

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $225,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$263,117 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$515,079
What you'd walk away with	$1,085,485
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($32,500) invested at 7%	$247,398
Monthly shortfalls ($4,656 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$31,092
What you'd walk away with	$278,490
Building minus stocks	$806,995

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $225,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$134,854 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$222,094
What you'd walk away with	$792,501
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($32,500) invested at 7%	$247,398
Monthly shortfalls ($21,289 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$132,893
What you'd walk away with	$380,291
Building minus stocks	$412,210

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $208,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$305,927 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$655,702
What you'd walk away with	$1,248,925
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($59,800) invested at 7%	$455,213
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	$455,213
Building minus stocks	$793,712

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $208,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$166,526 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$296,927
What you'd walk away with	$890,150
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($59,800) invested at 7%	$455,213
Monthly shortfalls ($5,494 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$36,011
What you'd walk away with	$491,224
Building minus stocks	$398,926

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $200,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$325,088 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$716,033
What you'd walk away with	$1,286,439
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($57,500) invested at 7%	$437,705
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	$437,705
Building minus stocks	$848,734

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $200,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$182,857 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$339,294
What you'd walk away with	$909,701
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($57,500) invested at 7%	$437,705
Monthly shortfalls ($2,664 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$18,047
What you'd walk away with	$455,751
Building minus stocks	$453,950

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $195,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$337,064 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$753,740
What you'd walk away with	$1,346,963
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,800) invested at 7%	$554,172
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	$554,172
Building minus stocks	$792,791

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$631,088
Minus 6% selling cost	−$37,865
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $195,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$193,576 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$368,684
What you'd walk away with	$961,907
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,800) invested at 7%	$554,172
Monthly shortfalls ($1,408 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$9,730
What you'd walk away with	$563,902
Building minus stocks	$398,005

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $187,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$355,027 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$810,300
What you'd walk away with	$1,380,707
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($70,000) invested at 7%	$532,858
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	$532,858
Building minus stocks	$847,849

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$606,816
Minus 6% selling cost	−$36,409
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $187,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$210,396 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$417,400
What you'd walk away with	$987,807
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($70,000) invested at 7%	$532,858
Monthly shortfalls ($265 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,885
What you'd walk away with	$534,743
Building minus stocks	$453,064

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

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 282922220168: 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 Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$4,704
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,507
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 1889: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1889
Market value (2026)	$239,100
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,704
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	no
Last sale	2021-02-26 · $194,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2028-11-02.

Nearest highway

I 35E;US 10, about 1886 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

2026-07-30New at $260,000