893 Jenks Ave

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

Asking price: $374,000
Monthly cash flow: −$258
Estimated rent: $4,200/mo
Break-even price: $325,468

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

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
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: $374,000
Monthly cash flow: −$258
Cash to close: $86,020
Cap rate: 5.6%
Cash-on-cash: −3.6%
DSCR: 0.87×
GRM: 7.4
Price per unit: $93,500
Price that breaks even: $325,468
Rent that breaks even: $4,535/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 7
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.22M vs $721K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,200
Vacancy (6%)	−$252
Collected	$3,948
Property tax Public record	−$673
Insurance Estimate	−$429
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$336
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$378
Net operating income	$1,732
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,991
Cash flow	−$258
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$253

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 $1.22M, stocks $721K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $336,600 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$145,230 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$224,122
What you'd walk away with	$1,077,450
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,620) invested at 7%	$370,108
Monthly shortfalls ($45,482 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$271,385
What you'd walk away with	$641,493
Building minus stocks	$435,957

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $336,600 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$26,193 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$31,252
What you'd walk away with	$884,580
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,620) invested at 7%	$370,108
Monthly shortfalls ($129,299 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$631,214
What you'd walk away with	$1,001,322
Building minus stocks	−$116,742

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $327,600 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$159,462 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$253,079
What you'd walk away with	$1,083,591
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($47,320) invested at 7%	$360,212
Monthly shortfalls ($37,889 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$230,729
What you'd walk away with	$590,941
Building minus stocks	$492,650

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $327,600 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$33,039 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$40,555
What you'd walk away with	$871,067
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($47,320) invested at 7%	$360,212
Monthly shortfalls ($114,319 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$570,904
What you'd walk away with	$931,116
Building minus stocks	−$60,049

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $299,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$209,756 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$366,365
What you'd walk away with	$1,219,693
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($86,020) invested at 7%	$654,806
Monthly shortfalls ($10,334 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$66,487
What you'd walk away with	$721,293
Building minus stocks	$498,400

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $299,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$60,369 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$81,622
What you'd walk away with	$934,951
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($86,020) invested at 7%	$654,806
Monthly shortfalls ($63,801 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$334,444
What you'd walk away with	$989,250
Building minus stocks	−$54,299

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $291,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$225,422 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$405,235
What you'd walk away with	$1,235,747
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($83,720) invested at 7%	$637,298
Monthly shortfalls ($6,840 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$45,026
What you'd walk away with	$682,324
Building minus stocks	$553,423

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $291,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$69,690 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$97,003
What you'd walk away with	$927,516
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($83,720) invested at 7%	$637,298
Monthly shortfalls ($53,962 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$289,494
What you'd walk away with	$926,792
Building minus stocks	$724

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $280,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$247,417 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$462,742
What you'd walk away with	$1,316,070
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($104,720) invested at 7%	$797,155
Monthly shortfalls ($3,207 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$21,840
What you'd walk away with	$818,995
Building minus stocks	$497,075

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$907,796
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,468
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $280,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$83,343 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$120,813
What you'd walk away with	$974,142
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($104,720) invested at 7%	$797,155
Monthly shortfalls ($41,987 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$232,611
What you'd walk away with	$1,029,766
Building minus stocks	−$55,624

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $273,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$263,656 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$507,788
What you'd walk away with	$1,338,300
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($101,920) invested at 7%	$775,841
Monthly shortfalls ($1,482 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$10,325
What you'd walk away with	$786,166
Building minus stocks	$552,134

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$883,524
Minus 6% selling cost	−$53,011
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $273,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$93,748 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$139,993
What you'd walk away with	$970,506
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($101,920) invested at 7%	$775,841
Monthly shortfalls ($34,429 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$195,231
What you'd walk away with	$971,072
Building minus stocks	−$566

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$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 282922230064: special assessments (payable 2026) = $865.00

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 333 days on market, 1 price cuts

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)	$8,071
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$5,150
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 1889: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	apartments 4-6 rental units
Living units	4
Year built	1889
Market value (2026)	$360,000
Property tax, payable 2026	$8,071
Special assessments	$865
Homestead	no
Last sale	2021-09-22 · $310,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2028-08-01.

Nearest highway

I 35E;US 10, about 2023 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

2025-11-03Price cut at $374,000 (was $384,900) · from listing history
2025-11-03New at $374,000