1015 43 1/2 Ave NE

Columbia Heights, MN · View the listing ↗

Overpriced

46 photos

Photos courtesy of Engel & Volkers Americas, Inc, via Realtor.com.

Asking price: $499,900
Monthly cash flow: −$821
Estimated rent: $3,850/mo
Break-even price: $345,735

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

From the listing

Privacy, flexibility, and a location that just makes sense. This unique duplex offers the rare combination of no common walls and the feel of two separate homes, all nestled among single-family homes on a quiet street. With 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms per unit, this property is a smart option for an owner-occupant, multi-generational living, or an investor looking for a versatile opportunity. The owner-occupied side features a rare attached oversized garage, while recent improvements include updated doors, cement, trim paint, showers, toilets, appliances, and HVAC. Enjoy the convenience of being close to everyday amenities while tucked away in a peaceful residential setting. A hard-to-find duplex with privacy, space, and flexibility-this one stands apart. New roof being installed 10/2!

Listing courtesy of Engel & Volkers Americas, Inc (Katherine Kennedy-Mahoney). Description from Realtor.com, MLS #7149322. Believed reliable but not guaranteed; confirm with the listing agent. View on Realtor.com ↗

The numbers

Edit rents, costs and assumptions

Default: 20% down (no PMI), offer at asking, self-managed, 7.00% for 30 years, buyer pays closing costs (3%).

The deal

Price: $499,900
Cash to close: $114,977
Price per unit: $249,950
GRM: 10.8

Each month

Cash flow: −$821/mo
Cash-on-cash: −8.6%
Cap rate: 4.4%
DSCR: 0.69×

Break-even

Price that breaks even: $345,735
Rent that breaks even: $4,902/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.30M vs $1.30M
Cash flow turns positive: year 16

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,850
Vacancy (6%)	−$231
Collected	$3,619
Property tax Listing	−$732
Insurance Estimate	−$201
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$308
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$308
Net operating income	$1,840
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$2,661
Cash flow	−$821
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$339

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr, costs +3.5%/yr. Red bars are months you'd cover out of pocket.

30 years

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $449,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$61,645 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$77,157
What you'd walk away with	$1,217,742
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($64,987) invested at 7%	$494,698
Monthly shortfalls ($158,644 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$801,856
What you'd walk away with	$1,296,554
Building minus stocks	−$78,812

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $449,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$3,092 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$3,181
What you'd walk away with	$1,143,766
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($64,987) invested at 7%	$494,698
Monthly shortfalls ($286,041 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,234,521
What you'd walk away with	$1,729,219
Building minus stocks	−$585,453

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $440,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$69,777 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$88,979
What you'd walk away with	$1,206,748
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,687) invested at 7%	$484,802
Monthly shortfalls ($144,951 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$744,065
What you'd walk away with	$1,228,866
Building minus stocks	−$22,118

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $440,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$5,248 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,491
What you'd walk away with	$1,123,260
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,687) invested at 7%	$484,802
Monthly shortfalls ($266,371 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,167,218
What you'd walk away with	$1,652,020
Building minus stocks	−$528,760

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $399,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$114,176 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$159,613
What you'd walk away with	$1,300,198
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($114,977) invested at 7%	$875,234
Monthly shortfalls ($77,948 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$420,313
What you'd walk away with	$1,295,547
Building minus stocks	$4,651

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $399,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$22,865 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$26,231
What you'd walk away with	$1,166,816
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($114,977) invested at 7%	$875,234
Monthly shortfalls ($172,587 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$793,572
What you'd walk away with	$1,668,806
Building minus stocks	−$501,990

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $391,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$124,387 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$177,402
What you'd walk away with	$1,295,171
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($112,677) invested at 7%	$857,726
Monthly shortfalls ($68,999 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$377,771
What you'd walk away with	$1,235,497
Building minus stocks	$59,674

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $391,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$27,863 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$32,603
What you'd walk away with	$1,150,372
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($112,677) invested at 7%	$857,726
Monthly shortfalls ($158,424 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$739,613
What you'd walk away with	$1,597,339
Building minus stocks	−$446,967

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $374,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$147,620 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$219,814
What you'd walk away with	$1,360,400
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($139,972) invested at 7%	$1,065,503
Monthly shortfalls ($51,527 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$292,017
What you'd walk away with	$1,357,520
Building minus stocks	$2,880

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,213,389
Minus 6% selling cost	−$72,803
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $374,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$40,141 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$49,009
What you'd walk away with	$1,189,594
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($139,972) invested at 7%	$1,065,503
Monthly shortfalls ($129,997 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$627,853
What you'd walk away with	$1,693,355
Building minus stocks	−$503,761

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $367,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$158,574 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$240,766
What you'd walk away with	$1,358,535
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($137,172) invested at 7%	$1,044,188
Monthly shortfalls ($44,517 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$256,408
What you'd walk away with	$1,300,596
Building minus stocks	$57,939

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,189,116
Minus 6% selling cost	−$71,347
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $367,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$46,303 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$57,626
What you'd walk away with	$1,175,395
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($137,172) invested at 7%	$1,044,188
Monthly shortfalls ($118,196 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$579,909
What you'd walk away with	$1,624,097
Building minus stocks	−$448,702

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.

30 years: this property vs. the same money in stocks

This propertyStocks at 7%

Year 30 (loan paid off): property $1.30M, stocks $1.30M. The property wins.

Comparable rentals

The closest rental listings with each unit's bedroom count, as of 2026-10-04. The estimate is the median asking rent of every rental we found nearby (the count is shown for each); houses are left out. Asking rents from Realtor.com rental listings, not signed leases.

3 bed estimate $1,925/mo · range $1,775–$2,275 · 9 rentals within 3 mi

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Type
4616 Taylor St NE Unit 2, Minneapolis	$1,895	3 / 1	1,009	0.3 mi	2024-06-16	Duplex triplex
909 Gould Ave NE, Columbia Heights	$2,724	3 / 2	1,414	0.5 mi	2026-07-31	Apartment
1120 52nd Ave NE, Fridley	$1,375	3 / 1	1,250	1.0 mi	2024-04-26	Apartment
1230 Cheri Ln NE, Fridley	$1,775	3 / 1.5	1,033	1.3 mi	2025-07-01	Apartment
920 24th Ave NE, Minneapolis	$2,388	3 / 1	1,223	2.5 mi	2026-07-21	Apartment
700 7th St NW, New Brighton	$1,796	3 / 2	1,377	2.5 mi	2025-05-09	Apartment
2318 Jefferson St NE, Minneapolis	$1,715	3 / 1.5	—	2.6 mi	2025-11-06	Apartment
708 66th Ave N, Brooklyn Center	$1,975	3 / 1.5	1,300	2.9 mi	2025-11-20	Apartment
1709 Fillmore St NE, Minneapolis	$2,099	3 / 1	1,350	2.9 mi	2026-08-04	Apartment

On the maps, this property and comparable rentals. Comparable rentals and rent estimate: Realtor.com rental listings. Rents are asking rents from listings; check them against the actual leases.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

mediumCouldn't match this address to a county parcel record, so taxes and unit count are unverified. Public record: County parcels: no match for 1015 43 1/2 AVE NE
mediumAsking is $154,165 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($345,735) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $499,900 vs. break-even $345,735

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 Listinglisting, tax year 2026. The tax the listing states. If the seller lives there it may be at the lower homestead rate; an investor owner pays the non-homestead rate, often 20–40% more on the owner's unit.	$8,788
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,406
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%

Status history

2026-10-02New at $499,900

From the listing Listing

Listed as	duplex side x side
Property tax, 2026	$8,788
County	Anoka
Parcel number	363024220097

As the listing states it (NorthstarMLS, via Realtor.com). We don't have county records here yet; check the tax, homestead status and special assessments with the county.

Crime, rental-license and vacant-building records are only available for St. Paul and Minneapolis so far. Check with Columbia Heights on rental licensing before you buy.

Nearest highway

MN 65, about 2131 m away.