2721 Columbus Ave

Minneapolis, MN 55407

$414,900C-

2 bd · 16.0 ba · 2,192 sqft · Built 1906 · MultiFamily · Active · 21 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $4,517/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,176
• Tax + insurance: −$666
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$949
• Net cashflow: $727/mo
• Annual: $8,721/yr
• Cap rate: 8.39%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.51%
• DSCR: 1.33
• 1% rule: 1.09%
• Cash to close: $116,172

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 1-bed/?-bath units multifamily listed at $415k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $727 ($9k/yr) — positive. Per door: $182/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($5k rent vs $415k).
• It's been on market 21 days — a 2% lower offer ($409k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $409k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $3k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $12k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• 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: Ella Baker Elementary (math 2% / reading 17%, grade F, #829 of 857 statewide, top 98%, 602 students, 90% FRL); Anwatin Middle (math 12% / reading 27%, grade F, #234 of 258 statewide, top 92%, 320 students, 81% FRL); Southwest High (math 47% / reading 67%, grade C, #64 of 471 statewide, top 16%, 1,484 students, 29% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1906 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.3%/yr); 148 active listings in the ZIP; 15 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 5d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 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.
• 8 sale attempts since 23y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $70k; list at $415k implies a 489% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 8.4% 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.
• At $4,517/mo this rent would consume 69% of the median local household income ($78k/yr) (locally 1583% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1906 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.
• How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.