15 S 1st St Unit A1020

Minneapolis, MN 55401

$225,000C+

3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,268 sqft · Built 1965 · Condo · Active · 51 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,690/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,180
• Tax + insurance: −$384
• HOA: −$1,296
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$775
• Net cashflow: $55/mo
• Annual: $657/yr
• Cap rate: 6.58%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.04%
• DSCR: 1.05
• 1% rule: 1.64%
• Cash to close: $63,000

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath condo listed at $225k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $55 ($657/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $225k).
• It's been on market 51 days — a 3% lower offer ($218k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $218k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $615 of equity ($2k loan paydown + $-941 appreciation (-0.4% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#110 in MN, #2,525 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, housing A+; Watch: cost of living C-, crime F.
• Minneapolis Public School District (urban): math 35% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #217 of 301 in MN (top 72%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Las Estrellas Elementary (math 15% / reading 12%, grade F, #797 of 857 statewide, top 93%, 336 students, 75% FRL); Northeast Middle (math 13% / reading 31%, grade F, #225 of 258 statewide, top 89%, 501 students, 65% FRL); Edison High (math 24% / reading 50%, grade F, #282 of 471 statewide, top 63%, 896 students, 76% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 24% at this address vs 40% district-wide (-16 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Minneapolis Public School District average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 35% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.5%/yr); 159 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 1d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 4,651 units permitted in Hennepin County in 2024 (2,443 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Hennepin County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 3 sale attempts since 19y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (10%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-0.4% appreciation + 5.5% rent growth), your $63k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 6.6% vs local median 3.1% in Minneapolis — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.
• This rent runs 39% of the median local income ($114k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 51 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1965 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
• What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.