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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 12196 (West Sand Lake, NY)

Negative cash flow at any interest rate with 25% down: the rent does not cover operating costs and principal.

Rent here is HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom, because Zillow does not publish a rent index for this ZIP. It is the 40th percentile of gross rents, so market rent for a typical home is likely higher and the yield and cash flow below are conservative.
Gross yield
4.2%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
0.2%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$2,129/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$410,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,450/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$17,400
Vacancy$870
Management$1,322
Property tax$7,976
Insurance$2,161
Maintenance$4,101
Net operating income$969
Loan payments$26,519
Cash flow-$25,550
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$410,101
Down payment (25%)$102,525
Loan$307,576
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$2,210
Cash in$114,828
Cash-on-cash return-22.3%
DSCR0.04
Break-even ratenone
Down payment25%
A common minimum for investment-property and DSCR loans.
Interest rate7.78%
Freddie Mac 30-year 7.03% (week of 2026-09-24) + 0.75 point investor premium.
Loan term30 years
Fixed, fully amortising.
Closing costs3% of price
Added to cash invested.
Insurance$2,161 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for New York, $1,801, x 1.2 for a landlord policy.
Maintenance1% of price a year
The 1% rule of thumb; older homes run higher.
Vacancy5% of rent
About 18 days empty a year.
Management8% of collected rent
A typical full-service fee; zero if you self-manage.

Trends

Five years to August 2026

Price, 12 months
+8.1%
Rent, 12 months
n/a
no Zillow rent series here
Rent minus price growth
n/a
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
10011012013014020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$298,369
Aug 2022$333,290
Aug 2023$340,193
Aug 2024$360,280
Aug 2025$379,252
Aug 2026$410,101

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$1,040$1,210$1,450$1,740$1,920
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026not published for this ZIP

HUD's Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a standard unit, and it is what Section 8 vouchers pay against. Zillow's index tracks asking rents on listed homes. The two measure different things, so they are shown side by side and never averaged. HUD area: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.94%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$7,976/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Rensselaer County: 2.05%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
3.9
Rensselaer County, last 12 months
National percentile
41th
among US counties

260 new housing units permitted in 2025-09 to 2026-08, Census Building Permits Survey. A high figure means more new supply competing for tenants.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPDistanceTypical priceRentGross yieldCash flow /mo
12198Wynantskill3.0 mi$353,000$1,550*5.3%-$1,624
12061East Greenbush3.1 mi$421,000$2,260*6.4%-$1,576
12140Poestenkill4.1 mi$384,000$1,340*4.2%-$2,051
12063East Schodack4.6 mi$464,000$1,800*4.7%-$2,284
12018Averill Park4.7 mi$399,000$1,930*5.8%-$1,612
12144Rensselaer5.3 mi$319,000$1,8917.1%-$1,098
12153Sand Lake7.2 mi$371,000$1,820*5.9%-$1,375
12204Menands7.3 mi$356,000$2,1767.3%-$1,141

* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom (no Zillow rent index for that ZIP).

Every ZIP in Rensselaer CountyAlbany, NY metroNew York

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Open the calculator for 12196

Questions

Is 12196 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $410,000 and renting for $1,450 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 4.2% and the estimated cap rate is 0.2%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$2,129 a month. The median gross yield across the 8,418 ZIP codes with full Zillow data is 5.6%. These are figures for a typical property, not a judgement on any particular one.
What is the typical rent in 12196?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 12196. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,450, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 12196?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.94% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $410,000 home that is about $7,976 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 12196 break even?
With the default assumptions, no interest rate brings cash flow to zero: rent does not cover operating costs plus principal on a 30-year loan with 25% down.
How fast are prices and rents changing in 12196?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +8.1%.

Sources and method

Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.

Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.