794 Case Ave

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

Cash flows

Asking price: $355,000
Monthly cash flow: $38
Estimated rent: $4,050/mo
Break-even price: $362,140

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
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: $355,000
Monthly cash flow: $38
Cash to close: $81,650
Cap rate: 6.5%
Cash-on-cash: 0.6%
DSCR: 1.02×
GRM: 7.3
Price per unit: $118,333
Price that breaks even: $362,140
Rent that breaks even: $4,001/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 1
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.56M vs $622K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,050
Vacancy (6%)	−$243
Collected	$3,807
Property tax Estimate	−$567
Insurance Estimate	−$309
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$255
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$324
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$364
Net operating income	$1,927
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,889
Cash flow	$38
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$240

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 $1.56M, stocks $622K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $319,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$283,034 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$517,220
What you'd walk away with	$1,327,197
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($46,150) invested at 7%	$351,306
Monthly shortfalls ($15,298 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$100,003
What you'd walk away with	$451,308
Building minus stocks	$875,889

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $319,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$123,759 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$185,058
What you'd walk away with	$995,036
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($46,150) invested at 7%	$351,306
Monthly shortfalls ($51,633 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$300,801
What you'd walk away with	$652,107
Building minus stocks	$342,929

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $310,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$301,716 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$566,566
What you'd walk away with	$1,353,727
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,850) invested at 7%	$341,410
Monthly shortfalls ($12,154 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$79,736
What you'd walk away with	$421,145
Building minus stocks	$932,582

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $310,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$137,147 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$211,021
What you'd walk away with	$998,182
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($44,850) invested at 7%	$341,410
Monthly shortfalls ($43,194 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$257,151
What you'd walk away with	$598,561
Building minus stocks	$399,621

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $284,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$362,347 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$746,722
What you'd walk away with	$1,556,700
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($81,650) invested at 7%	$621,541
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$621,541
Building minus stocks	$935,159

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $284,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$181,399 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$305,556
What you'd walk away with	$1,115,533
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($81,650) invested at 7%	$621,541
Monthly shortfalls ($14,661 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$91,793
What you'd walk away with	$713,334
Building minus stocks	$402,199

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $276,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$381,507 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$807,054
What you'd walk away with	$1,594,215
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$604,032
Building minus stocks	$990,183

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $276,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$196,259 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$340,493
What you'd walk away with	$1,127,654
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,350) invested at 7%	$604,032
Monthly shortfalls ($10,361 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$66,400
What you'd walk away with	$670,432
Building minus stocks	$457,222

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $266,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$404,859 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$880,582
What you'd walk away with	$1,690,560
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($99,400) invested at 7%	$756,658
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$756,658
Building minus stocks	$933,902

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$861,678
Minus 6% selling cost	−$51,701
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $266,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$215,325 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$387,728
What you'd walk away with	$1,197,706
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($99,400) invested at 7%	$756,658
Monthly shortfalls ($6,075 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$40,106
What you'd walk away with	$796,765
Building minus stocks	$400,941

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $258,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$422,823 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$937,143
What you'd walk away with	$1,724,304
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($0 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$0
What you'd walk away with	$735,344
Building minus stocks	$988,960

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$837,406
Minus 6% selling cost	−$50,244
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $258,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$230,727 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$427,948
What you'd walk away with	$1,215,109
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($96,600) invested at 7%	$735,344
Monthly shortfalls ($3,514 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$23,766
What you'd walk away with	$759,110
Building minus stocks	$455,999

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 292922410007: homestead=Y
low$649 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 292922410007: special assessments (payable 2026) = $648.76

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 157 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 Estimateestimate. Seller is homesteaded; an investor pays the non-homestead rate. $324,600 market value × 2.10% (median for non-homestead duplexes/triplexes in the city).	$6,808
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$3,704
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$255
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 1909: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	three family dwelling, platted lot
Living units	3
Year built	1909
Market value (2026)	$324,600
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,541
Special assessments	$649
Homestead	yes
Last sale	2019-04-15 · $221,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 3 unit(s), C, status pending, renews 2025-07-21.

Nearest highway

I 35E;US 10, about 1695 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

2026-04-28New at $355,000