We buy houses in South Saint Paul, MN

What is different about selling in South Saint Paul?

South Saint Paul runs along the west bank of the Mississippi, just south of Saint Paul, and it was built around meat. The Saint Paul Union Stockyards opened here in 1887 and ran until 2008, and for many years they made this one of the biggest livestock markets around. Swift and Armour were the two largest employers, and many families came from Southern and Eastern Europe to work in the plants. The city was incorporated in 1887 and grew up around the yards.

A city that grew up around the stockyards has a lot of older, modest houses. Houses that age often carry old systems and wear that make a regular sale slow.

How does the legal side work here?

South Saint Paul is in Dakota County. Probate cases go through the Dakota County District Court, and the court lists its probate office at the Judicial Center in Hastings, the county seat. Deeds are recorded by Dakota County Property Taxation and Records, also in Hastings. The city runs its own Time-of-Sale housing inspection program and an annual rental license, and both are covered below.

Neighborhoods and areas in South Saint Paul

Kaposia Park. The park sits on ground tied to a Dakota village that was here in the 1820s. It was built as a Depression-era work project.

Simon's Ravine. A shaded, hilly trail that runs through Kaposia Park and connects to the county trail along the river.

Kaposia Landing. A newer riverfront park with views of the Mississippi.

The old stockyards district. The yards closed in 2008, and the area is being redeveloped.

Third Avenue North. Where City Hall sits, along with and the Lawshe Memorial Museum, which the Dakota County Historical Society runs.

The Lawshe Memorial Museum. It reopened in 2023 with exhibits on Black history, farming and women's suffrage.

The Time-of-Sale inspection and what it means for your sale

South Saint Paul has a Time-of-Sale housing inspection rule. The city council set it up by ordinance to keep housing safe and to slow the wearing down of older homes. It covers single-family, two-family and larger homes. A seller picks an evaluator from the city's list, the evaluator inspects the house and the report has to be displayed whenever the house is shown.

If the report marks something as hazardous, it has to be fixed before the new owner takes possession. After the repairs, the evaluator checks again and files an updated report, and the city sends the owner a letter confirming the fix. That letter is usually needed at closing.

This is where many sellers get stuck. They do not have the cash for repairs, or they do not have the energy for contractors. Call us before you hire an evaluator and tell us what you know about the house. We will explain how the rule fits a direct sale, and the closing company can confirm the paperwork the city needs. You can also check with the city permits office.

Worker houses, small lots and old systems

Many older houses here date from the years when the plants were the main employers, and many are small. Basements can be low and damp. Wiring may be old, plumbing may be a mix of materials, and an addition or two may have been put on over the years without much planning.

None of that scares us. We buy the house as it is. You do not have to clean it out, haul away the furniture, patch the plaster or replace the water heater. We walk it, we ask what you know, and we make a fair cash offer.

A rental with a license and tenants

South Saint Paul asks rental owners to hold an annual license, and rentals have to be inspected on a regular schedule. The city says it will accept a recent Time-of-Sale report in place of a rental inspection. If you own a rental here and you are done with the license, the inspections and the repairs they bring up, selling is one way out.

We buy with tenants in place. You do not need to wait for a lease to end. Tell us the terms, the rent and what condition the unit is in, and we will plan around the lease.

When a family home has to be sorted out

South Saint Paul has many families who have owned the same house for a long time. When an owner passes, the heirs often live far away, and the house sits while they decide what to do. Taxes, the utilities and the yard keep going while it sits.

A court in Dakota County has to name someone to act for the estate before a sale can close. You can ask us for a number before that happens, and you do not have to empty the house. Take the photos and the keepsakes and leave the rest to us.

Facing a sheriff's sale

If you have fallen behind on a mortgage, you may be weighing your choices. Selling before a sheriff's sale is one option among several. It is not the right one for everyone, and we cannot tell you which choice fits your case. Talk to a Minnesota attorney about all of your options. If you decide to sell, we can give you a straight offer and work with your closing date.

When listing may be the better move

A direct sale is not always the right call. Say your house is in good shape, the inspection would come back clean and you are not in a rush. In that case, putting it on the open market with a real estate agent could bring you a bigger check. Buyers will pay more for a house that is ready to move into.

Where we make sense is when the inspection list is long, the house needs work, there are tenants or a family estate to deal with, or your date is firm. Get our offer, weigh it against a listing after repairs and time, and choose with a clear head.

Related reading: Selling a house that needs repairs and Selling a rental house with tenants in place. Also see What is a TISH inspection and do I need it to sell?