605 US Hghwy 75 · Lake Benton, MN 56149

$90,000

5 bd · 2.0 ba · 3,201 sqft · Other · 5 Days on market

Built 1920 0.41 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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 +26.1/30.0
• DSCR +8.8/10.0
• 1% rule +8.6/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Schools +6.0/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Rare opportunity to own a unique mixed-use property just steps from beautiful Lake Benton! This one-of-a-kind offering includes a 9-unit motel plus a separate residence, presenting endless possibilities for investment, owner-occupancy, or reimagining a classic lakeside destination. The house has large dedicated space for an office. Positioned directly across the road from the lake, this property offers nostalgic roadside motel charm paired with stunning water views and incredible potential. The furnished motel units provide a solid foundation, ready for a fresh vision, thoughtful updates, and creative revitalization to bring new life to this hidden gem. Whether you’re dreaming of rest

Key facts

• Water views
• 9-unit motel
• Separate residence

Tags

• 9-UNIT MOTEL
• SEPARATE RESIDENCE
• DEDICATED SPACE FOR AN OFFICE
• WATER VIEWS
• FURNISHED MOTEL UNITS
• VINTAGE ROADSIDE RETREAT

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 5-bed/2.0-bath other listed at $90k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $228 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $90k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#389 in MN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B; Watch: crime D+, employment D+, amenities F.
• Lake Benton Public School District (rural): math 65% / reading 75% proficiency, ranked #49 of 467 in MN (top 10%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Lake Benton Elementary (math 57% / reading 62%, grade B-, #216 of 857 statewide, top 29%, 116 students, 41% FRL); Lake Benton Secondary (1 students, 0% FRL).
• Market conditions: 17 active listings in the ZIP; 13 units permitted in Lincoln County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $622 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lincoln County population projected at -18% 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 $25k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 3 sale attempts since 5y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.1% of price; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $90,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. Schools are B-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
5. Crime grade is D 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 1.36% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.86%
• DSCR: 1.48
• GRM: 6.1

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: 0.0%
• Equity multiple: 1.00×
• Total profit: $30
• Equity at exit: $13,419

10-year hold

• IRR: 9.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.76×
• Total profit: $19,098
• Equity at exit: $7,782

Cash invested: $25,200 (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 56149

• Home prices YoY: -15.7%
• Active inventory: 17
• Price-to-rent: 6.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,226 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$472
• Tax from tax record: −$231 /mo · $2,772/yr
• Insurance: −$38
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$257
• Net cashflow: $228

Break-even live

Break-even rent $937

Max offer price $90,000

Occupancy floor 76%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $279	-5% $253	+0% $228	+5% $203	+10% $177
Rent	-10% $131	-5% $180	+0% $228	+5% $276	+10% $325
Rate	-1.0pp $273	-0.5pp $251	base $228	+0.5pp $205	+1.0pp $181

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: $22,500
• Closing costs: $2,700
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-06-07
   statusdays on market $90,000 Pending 5 DOM
2. 2026-06-05
   days on market $90,000 Active 4 DOM
3. 2026-06-04
   days on market $90,000 Active 2 DOM
4. 2026-06-01
   remarks 693-char remark
5. 2026-06-01
   listed $90,000 Active 1 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: $2,772 · $231/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,772 · $231/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 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 1/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥96°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,711
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,041
• − Property taxes: −$2,772
• − Insurance: −$450
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,177
• − Management: −$1,177
• − Depreciation: −$2,618
• Taxable income: $1,476
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$354
• After-tax cash flow: $2,382/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: Lake Benton Public School District
• NCES district ID: 2717460
• Math proficiency: 65% ▼ -5.00%
• Reading proficiency: 75% ▲ 10.00%
• Median HH income: $45,501
• Composite: 60.12/100
• National rank: #1773
• State rank: #49 of 467 in MN

Livability — Lake Benton

• Score: 68/100
• State rank: #389
• US rank: #9234

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lake Benton, MN
• Population (ZIP): 1,205

Population outlook (Lincoln County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 5,433 people
• By 2030: 5,215 · -4.0%
• By 2040: 4,828 · -11.1%
• By 2050: 4,445 · -18.2%
• By 2075: 3,678 · -32.3%
• By 2100: 2,762 · -49.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (92%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 92% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 3% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 13% Portuguese 10% Scottish 3%
• Foreign-born: 0%
• Languages at home: 99% English-only · Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lincoln

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+37.8) · D 30.1% · R 67.9% · Other 2.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -38.6pp toward R · 2008: 0.8pp · 2024: -37.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+37.8 2020: R+38.0 2016: R+35.6 2012: R+5.3 2008: D+0.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -31.85%
• Current HPI: 170.7115
• 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

-67.3% since first listed

9 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-28 Listed $90,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2023-03-02 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-17 Relisted — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-17 Price Changed $255,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-17 Price Changed $275,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-17 Price Changed $255,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-07-29 Contingent — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-06-28 Price Changed $269,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-07-15 Listed $275,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+11.8%/yr

Latest (2026): $2,772 · +4.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.