475 Dayton Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Summit – University (Rondo, Cathedral Hill) · Find the listing ↗

Far off

Asking price: $655,975
Monthly cash flow: −$2,164
Estimated rent: $4,800/mo
Break-even price: $249,393

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
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: $655,975
Monthly cash flow: −$2,164
Cash to close: $150,874
Cap rate: 2.4%
Cash-on-cash: −17.2%
DSCR: 0.38×
GRM: 11.4
Price per unit: $163,994
Price that breaks even: $249,393
Rent that breaks even: $7,610/mo
Cash flow turns positive: not within 30 years
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.50M vs $3.26M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,800
Vacancy (6%)	−$288
Collected	$4,512
Property tax Public record	−$1,489
Insurance Estimate	−$480
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$384
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$432
Net operating income	$1,327
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$3,491
Cash flow	−$2,164
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$444

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 $1.50M, stocks $3.26M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $590,377 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,277) invested at 7%	$649,148
Monthly shortfalls ($788,952 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,719,841
What you'd walk away with	$3,368,990
Building minus stocks	−$1,872,300

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $590,377 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,277) invested at 7%	$649,148
Monthly shortfalls ($1,020,785 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,351,498
What you'd walk away with	$4,000,646
Building minus stocks	−$2,503,956

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $581,377 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($83,977) invested at 7%	$639,252
Monthly shortfalls ($767,126 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,650,228
What you'd walk away with	$3,289,481
Building minus stocks	−$1,815,607

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $581,377 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($83,977) invested at 7%	$639,252
Monthly shortfalls ($998,959 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$3,281,885
What you'd walk away with	$3,921,137
Building minus stocks	−$2,447,263

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $524,780 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($150,874) invested at 7%	$1,148,493
Monthly shortfalls ($614,129 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,110,976
What you'd walk away with	$3,259,469
Building minus stocks	−$1,762,779

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $524,780 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($150,874) invested at 7%	$1,148,493
Monthly shortfalls ($845,962 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,742,632
What you'd walk away with	$3,891,126
Building minus stocks	−$2,394,436

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $516,780 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($148,574) invested at 7%	$1,130,985
Monthly shortfalls ($594,968 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,050,645
What you'd walk away with	$3,181,630
Building minus stocks	−$1,707,756

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $516,780 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($148,574) invested at 7%	$1,130,985
Monthly shortfalls ($826,801 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,682,301
What you'd walk away with	$3,813,286
Building minus stocks	−$2,339,412

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $491,981 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($183,673) invested at 7%	$1,398,166
Monthly shortfalls ($535,573 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,863,627
What you'd walk away with	$3,261,793
Building minus stocks	−$1,765,103

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,592,223
Minus 6% selling cost	−$95,533
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $491,981 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	$1,496,690
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($183,673) invested at 7%	$1,398,166
Monthly shortfalls ($767,406 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,495,284
What you'd walk away with	$3,893,450
Building minus stocks	−$2,396,760

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $484,481 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($180,873) invested at 7%	$1,376,851
Monthly shortfalls ($517,610 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,807,067
What you'd walk away with	$3,183,918
Building minus stocks	−$1,710,044

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,567,951
Minus 6% selling cost	−$94,077
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $484,481 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	$1,473,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($180,873) invested at 7%	$1,376,851
Monthly shortfalls ($749,443 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$2,438,723
What you'd walk away with	$3,815,575
Building minus stocks	−$2,341,701

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

medium$2,647 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 012823210215: special assessments (payable 2026) = $2,646.84
mediumAsking is $406,582 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($249,393) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $655,975 vs. break-even $249,393

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 140 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 Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$17,869
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$5,754
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 1899: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	apartments 4-6 rental units
Living units	4
Year built	1899
Market value (2026)	$851,900
Property tax, payable 2026	$17,869
Special assessments	$2,647
Homestead	no
Last sale	—

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), A, status renewal due, renews 2025-06-10.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 427 m away.

Crime in Summit – University

1,067 incidents in the last 12 months (59 per 1,000 residents), −13% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-05-15New at $655,975