324 Van Buren Ave · St. Paul, MN 55103

$164,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 924 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 48 Days on market

Built 1900 3,484 sqft 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 +30.0/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +9.2/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Rent growth +3.5/5.0
• Livability +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.4/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Affordable, character-rich bungalow in a convenient Saint Paul location, close to downtown. Many recent updates including new kitchen cabinets, new stainless steel fridge and gas stove, new vinyl flooring, refinished hardwood floors, & a freshly painted interior! Charming front porch and a fully fenced-in yard! Two bedrooms up with plenty of closet space. New upper-level carpet. Unfinished basement great for storage. A great place to call home!

Key facts

• New kitchen cabinets
• Gas stove
• Saint paul location

Tags

• SAINT PAUL LOCATION
• NEW KITCHEN CABINETS
• NEW STAINLESS STEEL FRIDGE
• GAS STOVE
• NEW VINYL FLOORING
• REFINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORS

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: No off-street parking specified
• Utilities: City water connected; City sewer connected; 100 Amp electrical service; Natural gas
• Home design: Residential property; One and one-half stories; Entry faces front (front porch)
• Construction: Stone construction materials; Stone foundation; Roof older than 8 years
• Exterior features: Front porch; Wood exterior; Chain link fencing; Medium tree coverage; Located within six blocks of public transit; City street frontage (publicly maintained)

Interior

• Kitchen: Range; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Two bedrooms (one upper level)
• Flooring: Hardwood floors
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom on the main floor
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; No central air
• Interior features: Informal dining room; Hardwood floors; Kitchen window; Full, unfinished basement
• Laundry & utility: No laundry features specified

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $165k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $682 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $165k).
• Recommended offer: $160k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads: area grade B — 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 fast (+4.0%/yr); 44 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 4d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,202 units permitted in Ramsey County in 2024 (880 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $2,340/mo this rent would consume 58% of the median local household income ($48k/yr) (locally 787% 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 $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.0% rent growth), your $46k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 48 days — a 3% lower offer ($160k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 7 sale attempts since 19y 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 $84k; list at $165k implies a 96% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $159,953 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 48 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
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: 1.42% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.26%
• Cash-on-cash: 17.73%
• DSCR: 1.79
• GRM: 5.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 4.05% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 10.4%
• Equity multiple: 1.42×
• Total profit: $19,279
• Equity at exit: $24,587

10-year hold

• IRR: 20.4%
• Equity multiple: 2.81×
• Total profit: $83,419
• Equity at exit: $14,258

Cash invested: $46,172 (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 55103

• Home prices YoY: -9.0%
• Rents YoY: 4.0%
• Active inventory: 44
• Price-to-rent: 5.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,340 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax from tax record: −$233 /mo · $2,796/yr
• Insurance: −$69
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$491
• Net cashflow: $682

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,477

Max offer price $164,900

Occupancy floor 66%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $776	-5% $729	+0% $682	+5% $636	+10% $589
Rent	-10% $497	-5% $590	+0% $682	+5% $775	+10% $867
Rate	-1.0pp $765	-0.5pp $724	base $682	+0.5pp $639	+1.0pp $596

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: $41,225
• Closing costs: $4,947
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
255 Western Ave N Saint Paul, MN	3.0	1.0–2.0	1049	$2,940	$2.80	2d	23	0.91mi
101 10th St E Saint Paul, MN	2.0	1.0–2.0	853	$2,490	$2.92	0d	20	1.16mi
253 Kellogg Blvd W Saint Paul, MN	2.0	1.0–2.0	1208	$3,198	$2.65	3d	12	1.24mi
330 9th St E St Paul, MN	1.0–2.0	1.0	978	$2,495	$2.55	3d	3	1.44mi

Listing history 31 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $164,900 Active 48 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $164,900 Active 47 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $164,900 Active 46 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $164,900 Active 45 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   days on market $164,900 Active 43 DOM
6. 2026-06-09
   days on market $164,900 Active 39 DOM
7. 2026-06-08
   days on market $164,900 Active 38 DOM
8. 2026-06-07
   days on market $164,900 Active 37 DOM
9. 2026-06-04
   days on market $164,900 Active 34 DOM
10. 2026-06-03
    days on market $164,900 Active 33 DOM
11. 2026-06-02
    days on market $164,900 Active 32 DOM
12. 2026-06-01
    days on market $164,900 Active 31 DOM
13. 2026-05-31
    days on market $164,900 Active 30 DOM
14. 2026-05-14
    price $164,900 452-char remark
15. 2026-05-01
    listed $169,900 Active 452-char remark
16. 2026-05-01
    historical
17. 2026-02-25
    price $179,900
18. 2026-01-29
    price $184,900
19. 2025-12-02
    listed $189,900 Active
20. 2025-12-02
    historical
21. 2025-10-24
    price $189,900
22. 2025-09-11
    listed $179,900 Active
23. 2025-09-09
    historical
24. 2025-07-28
    status Active
25. 2025-07-24
    listed $179,900 Active
26. 2025-07-10
    historical
27. 2007-10-29
    soldstatus $84,000
28. 2007-10-12
    historical
29. 2007-08-07
    listed $98,900
30. 2007-08-06
    historical
31. 2007-06-22
    listed $98,900

ⓘ 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: $2,796 · $233/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,796 · $233/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 6/10 Major FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 71% 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 · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $28,081
• − Mortgage interest: −$9,237
• − Property taxes: −$2,796
• − Insurance: −$824
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,246
• − Management: −$2,246
• − Depreciation: −$4,797
• Taxable income: $5,933
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,424
• After-tax cash flow: $6,762/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): 13,125
• Household income: $48,390
• Rent vs Own: 58.3% rent · 41.7% own
• Severe rent burden: 787.0

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: Highly diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.75)
• Race & ethnicity: White 34% Black 28% Asian 22% Hispanic / Latino 12% Two or more races 9% Native American 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 6% Cuban 4%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 6% Lithuanian 2% Romanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 26% · Vietnam, Canada, Philippines
• Languages at home: 63% English-only · Other Asian/Pacific 16% Spanish 5% Vietnamese 3%

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: ▼ -32.28%
• Current HPI: 327.7672
• Rent YoY: ▲ 4.05%
• 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

+66.7% since first listed

18 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-14 Price Changed $164,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-05-01 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-05-01 Listed $169,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-25 Price Changed $179,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-29 Price Changed $184,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-02 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-02 Listed $189,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-24 Price Changed $189,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-09-11 Listed $179,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-09-09 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-28 Relisted — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-24 Listed $179,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-10 Coming Soon — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-10-29 Sold (MLS) $84,000 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-10-12 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-08-07 Listed $98,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-08-06 Listing Removed — NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-06-22 Listed $98,900 NORTHSTARMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+8.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,796 · +5.5% YoY. Source: county tax records.