850 W 4th St · Rush City, MN 55069

$297,500

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,943 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 4 Days on market

Built 1968 0.70 ac lot ↓ 24% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +26.5/30.0
• DSCR +9.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +6.5/10.0
• Schools +3.7/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +1.3/10.0

Listing remarks

This well-cared-for home sits on a generous . 7-acre lot that backs up to vacant city land, giving you rare privacy and a peaceful natural backdrop right in town. With only two owners since it was built, the property has been thoughtfully maintained and it shows throughout. With 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the home offers a comfortable layout with plenty of room to grow, work, and relax. Inside, the home is bright and welcoming, with fresh interior paint and large windows that let in natural light. The exterior features durable LP SmartSide siding, adding both curb appeal and long-lasting quality. The kitchen stands out with quartz countertops, a wall oven, and a clean, modern feel that mak

Key facts

• Quartz countertops
• Generous lot
• 29 x 17 patio

Tags

• GENEROUS LOT
• BACKS UP TO VACANT CITY LAND
• DURABLE LP SMARTSIDE SIDING
• QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS
• WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACE
• 29 X 17 PATIO

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Above-grade and main level finished area reported; below-grade finished area present; Other annual assessment listed

Exterior

• Parking: Attached insulated garage; Asphalt driveway; Electric in garage; 2-car garage (approx. 26 x 24)
• Utilities: City water (connected); City sewer (connected); Natural gas; Electric service with circuit breakers and 100 amp service (East Central Energy)
• Home design: Residential property; Split entry (bi-level) layout; Pitched asphalt roof (age over 8 years)
• Construction: Block and frame construction; Block foundation
• Exterior features: Deck; Patio; Storage shed; Medium tree coverage; City street frontage with paved streets, sidewalks and street lights; Publicly maintained road

Interior

• Kitchen: Cooktop; Wall oven; Microwave; Refrigerator; Disposal; Stainless steel appliances
• Bedrooms: 4 bedrooms (some on upper level, some on lower level)
• Bathrooms: Two 3/4 bathrooms (one in basement, one on upper level)
• Heating & cooling: Hot water boiler with baseboard heating; Ductless mini-split cooling
• Interior features: Finished basement with block construction, drain tile, egress windows, sump pump, and walkout; Brick wood-burning fireplace in the family room; Eat-in kitchen / kitchen-dining room configuration; Deck and patio
• Laundry & utility: Washer present; Washer/Dryer hookup; Lower-level laundry room; Water softener (owned)

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $298k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $785 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $298k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#355 in MN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime A; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Rush City Public School District (rural): math 37% / reading 47% proficiency, ranked #195 of 301 in MN (top 65%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 50 active listings in the ZIP; 362 units permitted in Chisago County in 2024 (121 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $9k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Chisago County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $83k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Recommended offer $297,500

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1968 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.15% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.46%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.31%
• DSCR: 1.50
• GRM: 7.3

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 0.6%
• Equity multiple: 1.02×
• Total profit: $1,779
• Equity at exit: $44,358

10-year hold

• IRR: 10.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.79×
• Total profit: $65,820
• Equity at exit: $25,722

Cash invested: $83,300 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 46 Balanced
• State Minnesota: 46 Balanced · D+2
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

2024 reforms strengthened tenant protections; ramsey/hennepin courts paced moderate to slow.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 55069

• Home prices YoY: -1.7%
• Active inventory: 50
• Price-to-rent: 7.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $3,419 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,560
• Tax from tax record: −$232 /mo · $2,782/yr
• Insurance: −$124
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$718
• Net cashflow: $785

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,425

Max offer price $297,500

Occupancy floor 72%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $954	-5% $870	+0% $785	+5% $701	+10% $617
Rent	-10% $515	-5% $650	+0% $785	+5% $920	+10% $1,056
Rate	-1.0pp $935	-0.5pp $861	base $785	+0.5pp $708	+1.0pp $630

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $74,375
• Closing costs: $8,925
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 4 events

1. 2026-05-15
   status Pending
2. 2026-05-11
   listed $297,500 Active
3. 2008-12-12
   soldstatus $393,461
4. 2008-12-12
   soldstatus $167,000

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast MN · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,782 · $232/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,057 · $255/mo
• Expected delta: +$275/yr (+$23/mo · 9.9%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 13 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $41,032
• − Mortgage interest: −$16,665
• − Property taxes: −$2,782
• − Insurance: −$1,488
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$3,283
• − Management: −$3,283
• − Depreciation: −$8,655
• Taxable income: $4,878
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,171
• After-tax cash flow: $8,254/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Rush City Public School District
• NCES district ID: 2732550
• Math proficiency: 37% ▼ -26.00%
• Reading proficiency: 47% ▼ -20.00%
• Median HH income: $60,045
• Composite: 37.08/100
• National rank: #4499
• State rank: #195 of 301 in MN

Livability — Rush City

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #355
• US rank: #8328

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime A Employment C- Housing A+ Health & safety C User ratings A

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Rush City, MN
• Population (ZIP): 5,936

Population outlook (Chisago County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 55,187 people
• By 2030: 55,036 · -0.3%
• By 2040: 53,293 · -3.4%
• By 2050: 49,157 · -10.9%
• By 2075: 38,399 · -30.4%
• By 2100: 24,646 · -55.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (86%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 86% Black 8% Two or more races 3% Asian 2% Native American 1%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 10% Romanian 3% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Spanish 1% Other Asian/Pacific 1% Tagalog/Filipino 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Chisago

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+31.4) · D 33.5% · R 64.9% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -21.2pp toward R · 2008: -10.3pp · 2024: -31.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+31.4 2020: R+29.2 2016: R+30.5 2012: R+12.6 2008: R+10.3

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -7.49%
• Current HPI: 428.9296
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.41%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MN)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$407B
▸Retail	2	$150B
▸Consumer Goods	2	$32B
▸Industrial Machinery	2	$6B
▸Agriculture	1	$40B
▸Healthcare / Medical Devices	1	$32B

Price history

-24.4% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-15 Pending — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-05-11 Listed $297,500 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2008-12-12 Sold (Public Records) $167,000 Public Records
• 2008-12-12 Sold (Public Records) $393,461 Public Records

Property tax history

+5.8%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,782 · +0.9% YoY. Source: county tax records.