1257 Selby Ave · St. Paul, MN 55104

$329,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,246 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 10 Days on market

Built 1911 4,748 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ 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 +19.7/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +6.2/10.0
• 1% rule +5.4/10.0
• Rent growth +3.1/5.0
• Livability +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.4/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Absolutely gorgeous, this classic St. Paul home has all the charm! You'll be impressed by the leaded glass windows, beautiful buffet, elegant south facing front porch, hardwood floors and beautiful, perennial gardens. In addition to the 3 upper level bedrooms, there's a bonus main floor den/study and plenty of unfinished space in the lower level for your creative touches. Fantastic location, near restaurants, shopping, colleges and great freeway access. Fall in love with this home today!

Key facts

• Formal dining room
• Built-in buffet
• Peaceful patio

Tags

• SUN FILLED FRONT PORCH
• FORMAL DINING ROOM
• BUILT-IN BUFFET
• ORIGINAL WOOD WORK
• PEACEFUL PATIO
• SIZABLE TWO CAR GARAGE

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached or attached 2-car garage (24x24, approximately 400 sq ft)
• Utilities: City water (connected); City sewer (connected); Natural gas
• Home design: Residential property; Modified two-story layout; Main entry on main level
• Construction: Block construction; Block foundation; Built with a foundation area of approximately 773
• Exterior features: Wood exterior; Full yard fencing

Interior

• Kitchen: Range; Microwave; Dishwasher; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: 4 bedrooms total — three upper-level bedrooms and one main-level bedroom
• Bathrooms: One full upper-level bathroom; One quarter (1/4) bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Radiant heat; Window air conditioning unit(s)
• Interior features: Full unfinished basement with storage space; Porch (main level)
• Laundry & utility: Washer and dryer located in the basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $330k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $385 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $330k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads: area grade D — affects rentability + tenant quality, not the cash-flow math above.
• St. Paul Public School District (urban): math 21% / reading 33% proficiency, ranked #270 of 301 in MN (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 64% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.5%/yr); 191 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 2d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,202 units permitted in Ramsey County in 2024 (880 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $3,429/mo this rent would consume 54% of the median local household income ($76k/yr) (locally 2116% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $10k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Ramsey County population projected at +27% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 4 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 $275k; 20% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1911 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $329,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1911 — 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. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.04% ✓
• Cap rate: 7.69%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.01%
• DSCR: 1.22
• GRM: 8.0

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 2.5% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -9.1%
• Equity multiple: 0.67×
• Total profit: $-30,551
• Equity at exit: $49,189

10-year hold

• IRR: -0.3%
• Equity multiple: 0.98×
• Total profit: $-1,651
• Equity at exit: $28,524

Cash invested: $92,372 (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 55104

• Rents YoY: 2.5%
• Active inventory: 191
• Price-to-rent: 8.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $3,429 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,730
• Tax from tax record: −$456 /mo · $5,470/yr
• Insurance: −$137
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$720
• Net cashflow: $385

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,941

Max offer price $329,900

Occupancy floor 84%

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: $82,475
• Closing costs: $9,897
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1555 Selby Ave Saint Paul, MN	3.0	1.0–2.0	1129	$4,398	$3.90	2d	7	0.63mi
150 Snelling Ave N St Paul, MN	2.0	1.0–2.0	741	$2,598	$3.51	2d	8	0.68mi
695 Grand Ave Saint Paul, MN	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	1130	$5,795	$5.13	18d	10	1.24mi
470 Lexington Pkwy S Saint Paul, MN	2.0	1.0–2.0	1175	$3,500	$2.98	2d	19	1.39mi

Listing history 9 events

1. 2026-06-09
   status $329,900 Pending 10 DOM
2. 2026-06-08
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 10 DOM
3. 2026-06-07
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 9 DOM
4. 2026-06-04
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 6 DOM
5. 2026-06-03
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 5 DOM
6. 2026-06-02
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 4 DOM
7. 2026-06-01
   days on market $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 3 DOM
8. 2026-06-01
   status $329,900 Contingent - Inspection 2 DOM
9. 2026-05-31
   days on market $329,900 Active 2 DOM

ⓘ 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: $5,470 · $456/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $5,470 · $456/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 ≥99°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $41,145
• − Mortgage interest: −$18,480
• − Property taxes: −$5,470
• − Insurance: −$1,650
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$3,292
• − Management: −$3,292
• − Depreciation: −$9,597
• Taxable loss: −$634
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$152
• After-tax cash flow: $4,777/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: St. Paul Public School District
• NCES district ID: 2733840
• Math proficiency: 21% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 33% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $48,316
• Composite: 23.51/100
• National rank: #7868
• State rank: #270 of 301 in MN

Livability — St. Paul

No livability data for this city. (Only ~50 U.S. cities are tracked.)

Census & demographics

• Census place: St. Paul, MN
• County: Ramsey County · 542,837 people
• City population: 280,599
• Metro: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
• Population (ZIP): 45,762
• Household income: $75,712
• Rent vs Own: 46.9% rent · 53.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 2116.0

Population outlook (Ramsey County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 603,431 people
• By 2030: 636,459 · +5.5%
• By 2040: 700,596 · +16.1%
• By 2050: 765,819 · +26.9%
• By 2075: 929,297 · +54.0%
• By 2100: 1,053,924 · +74.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.60)
• Race & ethnicity: White 60% Black 19% Two or more races 10% Asian 7% Hispanic / Latino 7%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 4%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 8% Romanian 3% Lithuanian 3%
• Foreign-born: 12% · Canada, Vietnam, China
• Languages at home: 83% English-only · Spanish 4% Other Asian/Pacific 4% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Ramsey

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+43.3) · D 70.5% · R 27.2% · Other 2.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: +9.4pp toward D · 2008: 33.9pp · 2024: 43.3pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+43.3 2020: D+45.4 2016: D+39.4 2012: D+35.3 2008: D+33.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -532.26%
• Current HPI: 245.6146
• Rent YoY: ▲ 2.50%
• Metro: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
• 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

+88.6% since first listed

14 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-29 Listed $329,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2019-07-12 Sold (Public Records) $275,000 Public Records
• 2019-06-25 Sold (MLS) $275,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2019-05-19 Pending — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2019-05-16 Listed $260,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-01-25 Sold (Public Records) $226,000 Public Records
• 2017-01-12 Sold (MLS) $226,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-11-30 Pending — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-11-20 Contingent — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-11-02 Listed $229,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2003-07-29 Sold (Public Records) $172,000 Public Records
• 2003-06-20 Sold (MLS) $172,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2003-05-27 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2003-05-19 Listed $174,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+6.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $5,470 · +16.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.