St. Paul › Frogtown

768 Lafond Ave

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

Far off

Asking price: $285,000
Monthly cash flow: −$726
Estimated rent: $2,100/mo
Break-even price: $148,597

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: $285,000
Monthly cash flow: −$726
Cash to close: $65,550
Cap rate: 3.3%
Cash-on-cash: −13.3%
DSCR: 0.52×
GRM: 11.3
Price per unit: $142,500
Price that breaks even: $148,597
Rent that breaks even: $3,043/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 29
Year 30: property vs stocks: $651K vs $1.07M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,100
Vacancy (6%)	−$126
Collected	$1,974
Property tax Estimate	−$396
Insurance Estimate	−$201
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	$791
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,517
Cash flow	−$726
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$193

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 $651K, stocks $1.07M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $256,500 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	$650,264
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($210,631 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$829,811
What you'd walk away with	$1,111,845
Building minus stocks	−$461,581

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $256,500 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	$650,264
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($37,050) invested at 7%	$282,034
Monthly shortfalls ($312,058 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,106,160
What you'd walk away with	$1,388,194
Building minus stocks	−$737,930

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,500 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	$627,447
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($35,750) invested at 7%	$272,138
Monthly shortfalls ($188,805 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$760,198
What you'd walk away with	$1,032,336
Building minus stocks	−$404,889

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,500 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	$627,447
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($35,750) invested at 7%	$272,138
Monthly shortfalls ($290,232 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,036,547
What you'd walk away with	$1,308,686
Building minus stocks	−$681,239

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$858 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$874
What you'd walk away with	$651,137
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
Monthly shortfalls ($135,534 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$566,152
What you'd walk away with	$1,065,135
Building minus stocks	−$413,998

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,000 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	$650,264
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($65,550) invested at 7%	$498,983
Monthly shortfalls ($236,103 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$841,628
What you'd walk away with	$1,340,611
Building minus stocks	−$690,347

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $220,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$2,613 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$2,745
What you'd walk away with	$630,192
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,250) invested at 7%	$481,475
Monthly shortfalls ($118,128 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$507,692
What you'd walk away with	$989,167
Building minus stocks	−$358,975

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $220,000 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	$627,447
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($63,250) invested at 7%	$481,475
Monthly shortfalls ($216,942 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$781,297
What you'd walk away with	$1,262,772
Building minus stocks	−$635,325

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $213,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$4,744 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$5,137
What you'd walk away with	$655,401
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
Monthly shortfalls ($105,290 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$462,951
What you'd walk away with	$1,070,409
Building minus stocks	−$415,008

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$691,770
Minus 6% selling cost	−$41,506
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $213,750 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	$650,264
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,800) invested at 7%	$607,458
Monthly shortfalls ($201,973 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$734,163
What you'd walk away with	$1,341,621
Building minus stocks	−$691,357

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $206,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$8,081 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$9,062
What you'd walk away with	$636,509
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,000) invested at 7%	$586,144
Monthly shortfalls ($90,663 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$410,314
What you'd walk away with	$996,458
Building minus stocks	−$359,949

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$667,497
Minus 6% selling cost	−$40,050
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $206,250 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	$627,447
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($77,000) invested at 7%	$586,144
Monthly shortfalls ($184,009 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$677,603
What you'd walk away with	$1,263,746
Building minus stocks	−$636,299

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 352923120203: homestead=Y
mediumAsking is $136,403 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($148,597) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $285,000 vs. break-even $148,597
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 352923120203: 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. $226,300 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$4,746
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,407
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)	$226,300
Property tax, payable 2026	$4,012
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2025-01-22 · $258,500

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

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

Nearest highway

I 94, about 906 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

2026-09-14Price increase at $285,000 (was $258,500) · from listing history
2026-09-14New at $285,000