1673 Van Buren Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Hamline – Midway · Listing office ↗ · Find the listing ↗

Far off

Asking price: $325,000
Monthly cash flow: −$869
Estimated rent: $2,400/mo
Break-even price: $161,755

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

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: $325,000
Monthly cash flow: −$869
Cash to close: $74,750
Cap rate: 3.2%
Cash-on-cash: −13.9%
DSCR: 0.50×
GRM: 11.3
Price per unit: $162,500
Price that breaks even: $161,755
Rent that breaks even: $3,528/mo
Cash flow turns positive: not within 30 years
Year 30: property vs stocks: $742K vs $1.28M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,400
Vacancy (6%)	−$144
Collected	$2,256
Property tax Estimate	−$552
Insurance Estimate	−$205
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$192
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$216
Net operating income	$861
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,730
Cash flow	−$869
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$220

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 $742K, stocks $1.28M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $292,500 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	$741,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,250) invested at 7%	$321,618
Monthly shortfalls ($265,770 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,014,150
What you'd walk away with	$1,335,768
Building minus stocks	−$594,239

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $292,500 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	$741,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,250) invested at 7%	$321,618
Monthly shortfalls ($381,686 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,329,978
What you'd walk away with	$1,651,596
Building minus stocks	−$910,067

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $283,500 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	$718,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($243,944 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$944,537
What you'd walk away with	$1,256,259
Building minus stocks	−$537,547

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $283,500 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	$718,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($359,860 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,260,365
What you'd walk away with	$1,572,087
Building minus stocks	−$853,375

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $260,000 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	$741,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($74,750) invested at 7%	$569,016
Monthly shortfalls ($179,154 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$712,490
What you'd walk away with	$1,281,506
Building minus stocks	−$539,977

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $260,000 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	$741,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($74,750) invested at 7%	$569,016
Monthly shortfalls ($295,071 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,028,319
What you'd walk away with	$1,597,335
Building minus stocks	−$855,806

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $252,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$19 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$19
What you'd walk away with	$718,731
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($160,012 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$652,178
What you'd walk away with	$1,203,686
Building minus stocks	−$484,955

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $252,000 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	$718,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($275,910 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$967,987
What you'd walk away with	$1,519,495
Building minus stocks	−$800,783

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $243,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$919 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$936
What you'd walk away with	$742,464
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($91,000) invested at 7%	$692,715
Monthly shortfalls ($141,153 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$590,878
What you'd walk away with	$1,283,593
Building minus stocks	−$541,129

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$788,860
Minus 6% selling cost	−$47,332
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $243,750 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	$741,529
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($91,000) invested at 7%	$692,715
Monthly shortfalls ($256,151 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$905,771
What you'd walk away with	$1,598,486
Building minus stocks	−$856,957

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$2,528 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,647
What you'd walk away with	$721,359
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($124,799 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$536,029
What you'd walk away with	$1,207,430
Building minus stocks	−$486,071

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,250 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	$718,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($238,187 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$849,210
What you'd walk away with	$1,520,611
Building minus stocks	−$801,899

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

mediumThe seller is homesteaded, so the current tax bill is lower than what an investor will pay. We use an estimated non-homestead tax instead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 332923110112: homestead=Y
medium$1,869 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 332923110112: special assessments (payable 2026) = $1,869.48
mediumAsking is $163,245 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($161,755) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $325,000 vs. break-even $161,755

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 99 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 Estimateestimate. Seller is homesteaded; an investor pays the non-homestead rate. $316,100 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$6,630
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,455
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 1901: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1901
Market value (2026)	$316,100
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,143
Special assessments	$1,869
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2021-01-22 · $242,500

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2026-09-30.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 1148 m away.

Crime in Hamline – Midway

1,218 incidents in the last 12 months (101 per 1,000 residents), −3% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-06-25New at $325,000