263 Lafond Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Frogtown (Thomas-Dale) · Find the listing ↗

Asking price: $325,000
Monthly cash flow: −$180
Estimated rent: $3,300/mo
Break-even price: $291,144

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

3 bed / 1.5 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900
3 bed / 1.5 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900

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: −$180
Cash to close: $74,750
Cap rate: 5.7%
Cash-on-cash: −2.9%
DSCR: 0.90×
GRM: 8.2
Price per unit: $162,500
Price that breaks even: $291,144
Rent that breaks even: $3,534/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 6
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.14M vs $607K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,300
Vacancy (6%)	−$198
Collected	$3,102
Property tax Estimate	−$554
Insurance Estimate	−$208
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$264
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$297
Net operating income	$1,550
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,730
Cash flow	−$180
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 $1.14M, stocks $607K. The property wins.

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%$159,705 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$256,205
What you'd walk away with	$997,734
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,250) invested at 7%	$321,618
Monthly shortfalls ($32,526 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$199,546
What you'd walk away with	$521,164
Building minus stocks	$476,570

	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%$53,025 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$69,365
What you'd walk away with	$810,894
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,250) invested at 7%	$321,618
Monthly shortfalls ($85,232 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$446,970
What you'd walk away with	$768,588
Building minus stocks	$42,306

	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%$175,121 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$289,795
What you'd walk away with	$1,008,508
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($26,116 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$163,523
What you'd walk away with	$475,245
Building minus stocks	$533,263

	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%$62,658 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$84,540
What you'd walk away with	$803,253
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($73,039 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$392,532
What you'd walk away with	$704,254
Building minus stocks	$98,999

	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%$219,492 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$396,069
What you'd walk away with	$1,137,598
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($74,750) invested at 7%	$569,016
Monthly shortfalls ($5,698 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$37,751
What you'd walk away with	$606,767
Building minus stocks	$530,831

	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%$92,056 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$135,296
What you'd walk away with	$876,825
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($74,750) invested at 7%	$569,016
Monthly shortfalls ($37,647 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$211,241
What you'd walk away with	$780,257
Building minus stocks	$96,568

	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%$236,018 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$439,502
What you'd walk away with	$1,158,214
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($3,063 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$20,852
What you'd walk away with	$572,359
Building minus stocks	$585,855

	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%$103,598 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$157,174
What you'd walk away with	$875,887
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($30,029 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$172,788
What you'd walk away with	$724,296
Building minus stocks	$151,591

	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%$253,946 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$489,459
What you'd walk away with	$1,230,987
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($91,000) invested at 7%	$692,715
Monthly shortfalls ($1,232 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$8,592
What you'd walk away with	$701,307
Building minus stocks	$529,680

	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%$116,347 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$182,642
What you'd walk away with	$924,171
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($91,000) invested at 7%	$692,715
Monthly shortfalls ($23,018 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$136,039
What you'd walk away with	$828,754
Building minus stocks	$95,417

	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%$270,944 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$539,321
What you'd walk away with	$1,258,034
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($266 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,894
What you'd walk away with	$673,295
Building minus stocks	$584,739

	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%$128,661 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$208,498
What you'd walk away with	$927,210
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($17,369 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$105,335
What you'd walk away with	$776,736
Building minus stocks	$150,474

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 362923120159: homestead=Y
medium$3,805 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 362923120159: special assessments (payable 2026) = $3,805.24

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. $316,800 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$6,645
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,492
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 1904: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1904
Market value (2026)	$316,800
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,369
Special assessments	$3,805
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2023-08-15 · $300,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2029-04-10.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 1078 m away.

Crime in Frogtown

828 incidents in the last 12 months (53 per 1,000 residents), −26% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-09-19New at $325,000