Buying a rental property in the US housing market 2019 is a great investment whether you’re looking for cash flow or appreciation. Still, your rental property’s success depends mostly on the exact location it’s in. So, if you want to know where to invest in traditional rental properties for high rental income, you’ve come to the right place.
Making money in real estate doesn’t have to be a complicated process. You just need to have the right resources- Mashvisor’s tools. Mashvisor’s rental property calculator has helped us generate a list of the best cities for rental income (with a traditional rental strategy) in the US. Learn more about our product.
Best Cities for Rental Income
Okay, so let’s get right into it. Rental income is one of the most important factors to consider if you want to be making money with rental properties. So invest in long-term rentals in the best cities for rental income 2019.
1) Key West, FL
This is one of the hottest vacation spots in the country, but it’s also a great place to live. Long term rentals have been performing very well in the Key West real estate market, which is why it’s the first to be mentioned. We’ve included a couple of other important stats so you get a better understanding of rental property performance before buying an investment property in 2019. Check out Mashvisor’s data for Key West traditional rentals:
- Median Property Price: $1,038,329
- Price per Square Foot: $709
- Price to Rent Ratio: 16
- Average Days on Market: 124
- Monthly Traditional Rental Income: $5,481
- Traditional Cash on Cash Return: 4%
Clearly, Key West is one of the best cities to buy rental property. This high rental income doesn’t come at a cheap price, however. Although this isn’t the most affordable market, it has proven to hold profitable investments with strong returns. Just look at the city-average cash on cash return; 4 percent is a good cash on cash return considering this is the city-level performance of investment properties in Key West.
It’s currently a buyer’s market, which means the for-sale housing inventory is up and buyers have the upper-hand. So you’ll definitely be able to find great deals for long term rentals performing at even higher rates than the city level numbers we have above. Another positive is that Key West home values have gone up 12.2% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 9.2% within the next year. Start your search now.
2) Santa Barbara, CA
Now making our way to the West Coast, one of the best cities for rental income in 2019 is, unsurprisingly, in California. The number of sales in the Santa Barbara real estate market has increased 7 percent from 2017 to 2018, and with rental income this high, that number is just expected to keep going up. Here are Mashvisor’s stats for investors interested in Santa Barbara investment properties for sale.
- Median Property Price: $1,433,937
- Price per Square Foot: $734
- Price to Rent Ratio: 27
- Average Days on Market: 100
- Monthly Traditional Rental Income: $4,390
- Traditional Cash on Cash Return: 2%
Investors can find some great real estate opportunities here because it’s one of the best cities for rental income. In addition to the high rental income, what should be drawing your attention as a real estate investor is the price to rent ratio. Typically, a ratio from 15-20 is what rental property owners look for because this means the majority of the area’s residents find it more affordable to rent rather than own a home. So a price to rent ratio of 27 is a clear green light for any hesitant investors. The rental income is there, the rental demand is there and now it’s time for you to be there. Start your search now.
Related: How to Use Price to Rent Ratio as a Real Estate Investor
3) Scottsdale, AZ
The Scottsdale real estate market has been slowly heating up over the past few years, and 2019 is the time to invest. It’s currently one of the best cities for rental income in Arizona. Just look for yourself:
- Median Property Price: $823,083
- Price per Square Foot: $288
- Price to Rent Ratio: 19
- Average Days on Market: 139
- Monthly Traditional Rental Income: $3,618
- Traditional Cash on Cash Return: 3%
Scottsdale has been recently named the best place to find a job in the US. With growing job opportunity comes higher employment and median annual income. These factors indicate a strong economy that ultimately creates one of the best cities for rental income. Real estate investors looking for good ROI (return on investment) should look no further than Scottsdale investment properties for sale. Start your search in one of the best cities for rental income now.
Related: The Best Scottsdale Properties for Investment: Airbnb or Long Term Rentals?
4) San Rafael, CA
That’s right, another one of the best places to buy for rental income is in the California housing market. San Rafael is about to be a hot market. Here’s why:
- Median Property Price: $896,742
- Price per Square Foot: $489
- Price to Rent Ratio: 18
- Average Days on Market: 71
- Monthly Traditional Rental Income: $4,187
- Traditional Cash on Cash Return: 3%
The median property price isn’t bad at all when compared to the median home value of San Rafael real estate right now ($1,041,900). Long-term rental properties are clearly successful here, and investors are already picking up on the fact that this is one of the best cities for rental income. You should start your search now.
Related: The 10 Best Places to Buy Rental Property in California in 2019
Our rental property calculator can provide reliable data like this for both rental strategies (long-term and short-term) in any city or neighborhood of your choosing. To start your 14-day free trial with Mashvisor and subscribe to our services with a 20% discount after, click here.
These four locations are the best cities for rental income in the US housing market 2019. If you want to invest in traditional rentals for high returns, you’ll have a more successful search by starting with the cities mentioned above.
Keep in mind, however, that making a real estate investment based on one factor isn’t a guarantee for successful rental property. That is why we included other important numbers for each city. To make a smart investment, you need the full picture.
Related: Traditional Rental Strategy: Go for These Cities for Cap Rate
