892 4th St E

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

Overpriced

Asking price: $329,000
Monthly cash flow: −$486
Estimated rent: $2,700/mo
Break-even price: $237,657

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: $329,000
Monthly cash flow: −$486
Cash to close: $75,670
Cap rate: 4.6%
Cash-on-cash: −7.7%
DSCR: 0.72×
GRM: 10.2
Price per unit: $164,500
Price that breaks even: $237,657
Rent that breaks even: $3,331/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 14
Year 30: property vs stocks: $886K vs $804K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,700
Vacancy (6%)	−$162
Collected	$2,538
Property tax Public record	−$382
Insurance Estimate	−$202
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	$1,265
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,751
Cash flow	−$486
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$223

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 $886K, stocks $804K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $296,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$54,191 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$70,539
What you'd walk away with	$821,194
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,770) invested at 7%	$325,576
Monthly shortfalls ($89,654 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$468,212
What you'd walk away with	$793,788
Building minus stocks	$27,406

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $296,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$5,086 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,415
What you'd walk away with	$756,071
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,770) invested at 7%	$325,576
Monthly shortfalls ($170,956 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$758,395
What you'd walk away with	$1,083,971
Building minus stocks	−$327,900

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $287,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$63,705 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$85,429
What you'd walk away with	$813,268
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,470) invested at 7%	$315,680
Monthly shortfalls ($77,343 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$413,489
What you'd walk away with	$729,169
Building minus stocks	$84,099

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $287,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$8,449 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$9,246
What you'd walk away with	$737,085
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,470) invested at 7%	$315,680
Monthly shortfalls ($152,493 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$692,613
What you'd walk away with	$1,008,293
Building minus stocks	−$271,208

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $263,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$93,163 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$135,827
What you'd walk away with	$886,482
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($75,670) invested at 7%	$576,019
Monthly shortfalls ($40,945 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$228,128
What you'd walk away with	$804,147
Building minus stocks	$82,335

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $263,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$21,970 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$26,128
What you'd walk away with	$776,784
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($75,670) invested at 7%	$576,019
Monthly shortfalls ($100,159 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$473,736
What you'd walk away with	$1,049,755
Building minus stocks	−$272,971

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $255,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$104,454 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$156,895
What you'd walk away with	$884,734
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,370) invested at 7%	$558,511
Monthly shortfalls ($33,076 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$188,864
What you'd walk away with	$747,376
Building minus stocks	$137,358

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $255,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$28,014 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$34,322
What you'd walk away with	$762,161
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,370) invested at 7%	$558,511
Monthly shortfalls ($87,042 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$421,598
What you'd walk away with	$980,109
Building minus stocks	−$217,948

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $246,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$117,217 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$181,938
What you'd walk away with	$932,593
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($92,120) invested at 7%	$701,241
Monthly shortfalls ($25,600 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$150,182
What you'd walk away with	$851,423
Building minus stocks	$81,170

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$798,569
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,914
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $246,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$35,220 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$44,547
What you'd walk away with	$795,202
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($92,120) invested at 7%	$701,241
Monthly shortfalls ($74,009 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$368,098
What you'd walk away with	$1,069,339
Building minus stocks	−$274,137

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $239,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$129,329 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$207,013
What you'd walk away with	$934,852
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,320) invested at 7%	$679,927
Monthly shortfalls ($19,749 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$118,697
What you'd walk away with	$798,623
Building minus stocks	$136,229

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$774,297
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,458
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $239,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$42,437 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$55,335
What you'd walk away with	$783,174
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,320) invested at 7%	$679,927
Monthly shortfalls ($63,263 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$322,326
What you'd walk away with	$1,002,253
Building minus stocks	−$219,079

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

highOn the city's Vacant Building registry (Category 1). In St. Paul, Categories 2 and 3 can't be sold or occupied without city approval and a code-compliance plan. Public record: St. Paul Vacant Buildings registry: 892 4TH ST E, Category 1, vacant as of 10/17/2024
mediumNo rental certificate (CofO) on file in the city's data. Ask whether the building is licensed as a rental and when it was last inspected. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: no record for 892 4TH ST E (dataset last updated mid-2025)
low$572 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 332922230041: special assessments (payable 2026) = $572.02

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 137 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)	$4,588
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,421
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)	$123,000
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,588
Special assessments	$572
Homestead	no
Last sale	—

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 94;US 10, about 700 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

2026-05-18New at $329,000