620 Cook Ave E

Saint Paul, MN · Payne – Phalen (Railroad Island) · Listing office ↗ · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $210,000
Monthly cash flow: −$233
Estimated rent: $2,100/mo
Break-even price: $166,278

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

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: $210,000
Monthly cash flow: −$233
Cash to close: $48,300
Cap rate: 5.1%
Cash-on-cash: −5.8%
DSCR: 0.79×
GRM: 8.3
Price per unit: $105,000
Price that breaks even: $166,278
Rent that breaks even: $2,402/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 11
Year 30: property vs stocks: $609K vs $455K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,100
Vacancy (6%)	−$126
Collected	$1,974
Property tax Public record	−$305
Insurance Estimate	−$197
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$168
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$189
Net operating income	$885
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,118
Cash flow	−$233
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$142

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 $609K, stocks $455K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $189,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$52,007 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$73,023
What you'd walk away with	$552,165
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($27,300) invested at 7%	$207,815
Monthly shortfalls ($40,648 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$225,688
What you'd walk away with	$433,502
Building minus stocks	$118,663

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $189,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$5,236 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,736
What you'd walk away with	$484,877
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($27,300) invested at 7%	$207,815
Monthly shortfalls ($95,304 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$434,750
What you'd walk away with	$642,565
Building minus stocks	−$157,688

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $180,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$63,912 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$94,273
What you'd walk away with	$550,598
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($26,000) invested at 7%	$197,919
Monthly shortfalls ($30,728 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$177,325
What you'd walk away with	$375,243
Building minus stocks	$175,355

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $180,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$9,852 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$11,337
What you'd walk away with	$467,662
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($26,000) invested at 7%	$197,919
Monthly shortfalls ($78,094 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$370,738
What you'd walk away with	$568,657
Building minus stocks	−$100,995

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $168,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$82,054 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$129,942
What you'd walk away with	$609,084
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,300) invested at 7%	$367,672
Monthly shortfalls ($14,728 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$87,688
What you'd walk away with	$455,360
Building minus stocks	$153,724

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $168,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$18,450 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$22,806
What you'd walk away with	$501,948
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,300) invested at 7%	$367,672
Monthly shortfalls ($52,551 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$256,902
What you'd walk away with	$624,574
Building minus stocks	−$122,626

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $160,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$95,640 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$159,333
What you'd walk away with	$615,659
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($46,000) invested at 7%	$350,164
Monthly shortfalls ($9,153 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$56,748
What you'd walk away with	$406,912
Building minus stocks	$208,747

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $160,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$25,787 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$33,546
What you'd walk away with	$489,871
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($46,000) invested at 7%	$350,164
Monthly shortfalls ($40,727 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$207,311
What you'd walk away with	$557,474
Building minus stocks	−$67,603

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $157,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$100,146 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$169,622
What you'd walk away with	$648,764
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($58,800) invested at 7%	$447,601
Monthly shortfalls ($7,671 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$48,183
What you'd walk away with	$495,784
Building minus stocks	$152,980

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$509,725
Minus 6% selling cost	−$30,584
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $157,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$28,382 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$37,566
What you'd walk away with	$516,707
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($58,800) invested at 7%	$447,601
Monthly shortfalls ($37,334 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$192,477
What you'd walk away with	$640,078
Building minus stocks	−$123,371

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $150,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$114,400 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$203,935
What you'd walk away with	$660,260
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($56,000) invested at 7%	$426,286
Monthly shortfalls ($3,963 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$25,936
What you'd walk away with	$452,222
Building minus stocks	$208,038

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$485,452
Minus 6% selling cost	−$29,127
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $150,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$36,893 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$51,416
What you'd walk away with	$507,741
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($56,000) invested at 7%	$426,286
Monthly shortfalls ($27,883 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$149,766
What you'd walk away with	$576,052
Building minus stocks	−$68,311

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$3,044 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 292922130063: special assessments (payable 2026) = $3,044.42

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 16 days on market, 2 price cuts

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)	$3,666
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,358
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 1886: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1886
Market value (2026)	$192,100
Property tax, payable 2026	$3,666
Special assessments	$3,044
Homestead	no
Last sale	2022-09-28

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), A, status pending, renews 2028-08-18.

Nearest highway

I 35E;US 10, about 1113 m away.

Crime in Payne – Phalen

1,694 incidents in the last 12 months (51 per 1,000 residents), −10% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-09-16Price cut at $210,000 (was $212,600) · from listing history
2025-04-25Price cut at $212,600 (was $214,900) · from listing history
2026-09-16New at $210,000