686 Virginia St

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

Asking price: $596,600
Monthly cash flow: −$432
Estimated rent: $6,000/mo
Break-even price: $515,398

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 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900
3 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900
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: $596,600
Monthly cash flow: −$432
Cash to close: $137,218
Cap rate: 5.5%
Cash-on-cash: −3.8%
DSCR: 0.86×
GRM: 8.3
Price per unit: $149,150
Price that breaks even: $515,398
Rent that breaks even: $6,569/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 7
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.97M vs $1.16M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$6,000
Vacancy (6%)	−$360
Collected	$5,640
Property tax Public record	−$903
Insurance Estimate	−$514
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (9% of rent)	−$540
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$540
Net operating income	$2,743
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$3,175
Cash flow	−$432
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$404

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 $1.97M, stocks $1.16M. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $536,940 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$249,049 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$384,932
What you'd walk away with	$1,746,150
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,558) invested at 7%	$590,391
Monthly shortfalls ($73,328 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$438,369
What you'd walk away with	$1,028,760
Building minus stocks	$717,390

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $536,940 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$69,753 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$87,312
What you'd walk away with	$1,448,530
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,558) invested at 7%	$590,391
Monthly shortfalls ($183,824 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$930,320
What you'd walk away with	$1,520,711
Building minus stocks	−$72,181

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $527,940 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$263,337 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$414,091
What you'd walk away with	$1,752,493
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($76,258) invested at 7%	$580,495
Monthly shortfalls ($65,791 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$397,915
What you'd walk away with	$978,411
Building minus stocks	$774,082

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $527,940 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$77,798 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$98,950
What you'd walk away with	$1,437,353
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($76,258) invested at 7%	$580,495
Monthly shortfalls ($170,043 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$872,345
What you'd walk away with	$1,452,841
Building minus stocks	−$15,488

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $477,280 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$352,201 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$612,625
What you'd walk away with	$1,973,844
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($137,218) invested at 7%	$1,044,538
Monthly shortfalls ($17,481 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$112,308
What you'd walk away with	$1,156,847
Building minus stocks	$816,997

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $477,280 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$132,895 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$186,867
What you'd walk away with	$1,548,085
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($137,218) invested at 7%	$1,044,538
Monthly shortfalls ($87,966 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$476,120
What you'd walk away with	$1,520,658
Building minus stocks	$27,427

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $469,280 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$367,605 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$650,168
What you'd walk away with	$1,988,570
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($134,918) invested at 7%	$1,027,030
Monthly shortfalls ($13,725 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$89,519
What you'd walk away with	$1,116,549
Building minus stocks	$872,021

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $469,280 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$143,114 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$204,678
What you'd walk away with	$1,543,081
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($134,918) invested at 7%	$1,027,030
Monthly shortfalls ($79,025 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$433,600
What you'd walk away with	$1,460,631
Building minus stocks	$82,450

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $447,450 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$412,023 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$764,995
What you'd walk away with	$2,126,214
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($167,048) invested at 7%	$1,271,612
Monthly shortfalls ($5,857 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$39,718
What you'd walk away with	$1,311,330
Building minus stocks	$814,884

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,448,105
Minus 6% selling cost	−$86,886
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $447,450 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$173,258 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$260,088
What you'd walk away with	$1,621,307
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($167,048) invested at 7%	$1,271,612
Monthly shortfalls ($56,884 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$324,382
What you'd walk away with	$1,595,994
Building minus stocks	$25,313

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $439,950 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$428,089 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$809,008
What you'd walk away with	$2,147,410
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($164,248) invested at 7%	$1,250,298
Monthly shortfalls ($3,960 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$27,170
What you'd walk away with	$1,277,467
Building minus stocks	$869,943

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,423,832
Minus 6% selling cost	−$85,430
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $439,950 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$184,395 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$281,661
What you'd walk away with	$1,620,063
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($164,248) invested at 7%	$1,250,298
Monthly shortfalls ($50,058 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$289,394
What you'd walk away with	$1,539,691
Building minus stocks	$80,372

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$2,339 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 362923120050: special assessments (payable 2026) = $2,338.78

Opportunities

The seller bought for $54,000 in Jul 2011, so they can take a lower offer and still come out well ahead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 362923120050: last sale 2011-07-20, $54,000
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)	$10,833
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$6,169
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 1900: +1 pt capital reserve; 10 bedrooms: +1 pt repairs for wear	9% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	apartments 4-6 rental units
Living units	4
Year built	1908
Market value (2026)	$516,500
Property tax, payable 2026	$10,833
Special assessments	$2,339
Homestead	no
Last sale	2011-07-20 · $54,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), A, status renewal due, renews 2024-09-19.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 1203 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

2026-05-15New at $596,600