St. Paul › West Side

261 Robie St W

Saint Paul, MN · West Side (Cherokee Heights, District del Sol) · Listing office ↗ · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $319,000
Monthly cash flow: −$509
Estimated rent: $2,700/mo
Break-even price: $223,435

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: $319,000
Monthly cash flow: −$509
Cash to close: $73,370
Cap rate: 4.5%
Cash-on-cash: −8.3%
DSCR: 0.70×
GRM: 9.8
Price per unit: $159,500
Price that breaks even: $223,435
Rent that breaks even: $3,352/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 15
Year 30: property vs stocks: $828K vs $817K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,700
Vacancy (6%)	−$162
Collected	$2,538
Property tax Estimate	−$498
Insurance Estimate	−$189
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$216
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$216
Net operating income	$1,189
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,698
Cash flow	−$509
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$216

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 $828K, stocks $817K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	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%$37,484 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$46,873
What you'd walk away with	$774,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,470) invested at 7%	$315,680
Monthly shortfalls ($99,326 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$502,137
What you'd walk away with	$817,817
Building minus stocks	−$43,105

	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%$340 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$340
What you'd walk away with	$728,179
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,470) invested at 7%	$315,680
Monthly shortfalls ($192,587 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$810,911
What you'd walk away with	$1,126,591
Building minus stocks	−$398,412

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $278,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$45,775 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$59,027
What you'd walk away with	$764,050
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,170) invested at 7%	$305,784
Monthly shortfalls ($85,790 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$444,678
What you'd walk away with	$750,462
Building minus stocks	$13,588

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $278,100 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$1,580 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,616
What you'd walk away with	$706,639
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,170) invested at 7%	$305,784
Monthly shortfalls ($172,001 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$742,574
What you'd walk away with	$1,048,358
Building minus stocks	−$341,719

	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%$71,081 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$99,698
What you'd walk away with	$827,537
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,370) invested at 7%	$558,511
Monthly shortfalls ($47,906 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$258,871
What you'd walk away with	$817,382
Building minus stocks	$10,155

	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%$9,474 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$10,569
What you'd walk away with	$738,408
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,370) invested at 7%	$558,511
Monthly shortfalls ($116,705 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$525,049
What you'd walk away with	$1,083,560
Building minus stocks	−$345,152

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$81,472 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$118,016
What you'd walk away with	$823,038
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($71,070) invested at 7%	$541,003
Monthly shortfalls ($39,136 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$216,858
What you'd walk away with	$757,861
Building minus stocks	$65,177

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,200 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$13,767 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$15,829
What you'd walk away with	$720,852
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($71,070) invested at 7%	$541,003
Monthly shortfalls ($101,837 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$469,978
What you'd walk away with	$1,010,981
Building minus stocks	−$290,129

	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%$92,569 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$138,560
What you'd walk away with	$866,399
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,320) invested at 7%	$679,927
Monthly shortfalls ($31,192 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$177,448
What you'd walk away with	$857,374
Building minus stocks	$9,025

	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%$18,987 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$22,589
What you'd walk away with	$750,427
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,320) invested at 7%	$679,927
Monthly shortfalls ($88,017 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$416,783
What you'd walk away with	$1,096,710
Building minus stocks	−$346,283

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $231,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$103,765 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$160,332
What you'd walk away with	$865,355
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($86,520) invested at 7%	$658,612
Monthly shortfalls ($24,425 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$142,659
What you'd walk away with	$801,272
Building minus stocks	$64,083

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$750,024
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,001
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $231,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$24,677 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$30,314
What you'd walk away with	$735,336
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($86,520) invested at 7%	$658,612
Monthly shortfalls ($75,743 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$367,948
What you'd walk away with	$1,026,560
Building minus stocks	−$291,224

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 072822210026: homestead=Y
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 072822210026: 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 Estimateestimate. Seller is homesteaded; an investor pays the non-homestead rate. $284,800 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$5,973
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,268
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%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1946
Market value (2026)	$284,800
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,866
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2022-07-01 · $275,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2027-03-01.

Nearest highway

CH 37, about 1013 m away.

Crime in West Side

713 incidents in the last 12 months (46 per 1,000 residents), −16% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-09-30New at $319,000