Restaurant Building with Retail
New
For Sale
$385,000
536 E 12TH ST., Brownsville, TX 78520
Commercial Sale, BROWNSVILLE, TX
Property Size1,500 SF
Lot Size0.03 Acres
Price / SF$256.67
Days on Market7
Property Features for 536 E 12TH ST.
General Information
Property type
Commercial Sale
Property subtype
Other
Subdivision
BROWNSVILLE ORIGINAL TOWNSITE
Standard status
Active
Lot size
0.03 Acres
Building Details
Year built
1915
Floors in Building
1
Listing Agency:
KELLER WILLIAMS LRGV · Keller Williams Realty
(956) 423-8877
Listed By:
VANESSA CANTU · License #0738372
(956) 970-2851
Added: Sep 21
Last Checked: Sep 27 at 12:06PM
MLS# 29779712
Copyright © 2026 Rio Grande Valley Multiple Listing Service Inc. All rights reserved. All information provided by the listing agent/broker is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.
Investment Insights
Based on property information with market context.
This conventional restaurant property includes approximately 1,500 square feet of retail space and is currently configured for restaurant use. The existing layout provides a foundation for continued operation in its present format or adaptation to another retail or commercial concept.
The property is located at 536 E 12TH ST. in Brownsville, Texas, within Cameron County. Built in 1915, the building occupies a 0.03-acre lot and offers a compact commercial footprint for a restaurant or other retail-oriented business.
The property is located at 536 E 12TH ST. in Brownsville, Texas, within Cameron County. Built in 1915, the building occupies a 0.03-acre lot and offers a compact commercial footprint for a restaurant or other retail-oriented business.
Key Highlights
- Approximately 1,500 square feet of retail space
- Currently configured and used as a restaurant
- Existing layout can support continued restaurant use or conversion to another commercial concept
Financial Insights
Estimated NOI and Cap Rate
NOI = area × lease_rate × (100 − vacancy) / 100 × (1 − expense_ratio). Net Operating Income — what the owner takes home each year before mortgage payments and income tax. Effective rent (asking rent minus vacancy losses) minus operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, management).
NOI / Yr
$15,293
Cap rate = NOI / list price × 100. Capitalization rate — annual return on a fully cash purchase, before financing. NOI divided by price. Higher means more income per dollar invested, but usually also more risk or older condition. 5–8% is typical for stabilized commercial property; double digits often signal distressed deals.
Cap Rate
3.97%
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$305,860
$305.9K
Cap Rate 7%
$218,471
$218.5K
Cap Rate 9%
$169,922
$169.9K
Market Conditions
NOI Build-Up for 1,500 SF
Vacancy — income lost from leasable area expected to sit empty during the year, subtracted from gross rent.
EGI (Effective Gross Income) — gross rent minus vacancy losses, the realistic income before paying operating costs.
OpEx (Operating Expenses) — recurring costs to operate the property (property tax, insurance, utilities, maintenance, management); excludes financing and capital improvements.
NOI (Net Operating Income) — income a property generates after operating costs but before financing and taxes.
Gross rent
$21.6K $14.40/SF
− Vacancy
−$1.2K −$0.81/SF
EGI
$20.4K $13.59/SF
− OpEx
−$5.1K −$3.40/SF
NOI
$15.3K $10.20/SF
Area
Brownsville, TX
Vacancy
5.60%
Lease Rate
$14.40 /SF/Yr
Expense Ratio
25.00%
Simulate Cap Rate and NOI
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$305,860
Cap Rate 7%
$218,471
Cap Rate 9%
$169,922
Alternative Uses
Best Use
Specialty Retail
$218.5K
$191.2K – $254.9K
NOI $15,293 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 3.97%
Second Best
Retail
$203.9K
$178.4K – $237.9K
NOI $14,273 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 3.71%
Theoretical Best
Healthcare Medical
$258.3K
$226.0K – $301.3K
NOI $18,079 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 4.70%
Zoning and permitted uses should be independently verified with authorities.
Property Analytics
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Open Analytics
Current Use
Location Intelligence
Trade Area within ½ mile
1,490
Businesses Nearby
110k
Monthly Visits Nearby
Under-served
Demand for This Use
Explore this area
Business Placement
Foot Traffic Nearby
Shops & Services 41%
Dining 34%
Apparel 26%
McDonald's
Dining
26,274 visits/mo
0.4 miles
Ross Dress for Less
Apparel
24,319 visits/mo
0.2 miles
Wells Fargo
Shops & Services
15,000 visits/mo
0.4 miles
Stripes
Shops & Services
11,560 visits/mo
0.5 miles
Dollar Tree
Shops & Services
10,206 visits/mo
0.1 miles
Demographics for 78520, TX
64,949
Population
22,543
Households
2.9
Avg Household Size
34
Median Age
23%
College-Educated
69%
High-School Grad
39.7 sq mi
ZIP Area
1,636
Density / Sq Mi
$47,331
Median Household Income
$27,529
Median Earnings
$842
Median Rent
$129,200
Median Home Value
Check the figures for this property
Cap Rate, Value Estimation, Potential NOI and more
View Realmo Analytics
Market
Vacancy Rate% for Retail in South region
Questions? Ask Rey
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Frequently Asked Questions
What type of property is this?
Conventional restaurant - Existing restaurant configuration supports continued restaurant use or conversion to another commercial concept.
Where is this conventional restaurant located?
The property is located at 536 E 12TH ST. Brownsville, TX.
What is the asking price?
The asking price for this property is $385,000.
What are key features of this property?
This property features: Approximately 1,500 square feet of retail space; Currently configured and used as a restaurant; Existing layout can support continued restaurant use or conversion to another commercial concept
