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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 28018 (Bostic, NC)

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
5.7%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.4%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$741/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$219,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,040/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$12,480
Vacancy$624
Management$948
Property tax$1,247
Insurance$2,222
Maintenance$2,188
Net operating income$5,250
Loan payments$14,148
Cash flow-$8,898
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$218,794
Down payment (25%)$54,699
Loan$164,096
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,179
Cash in$61,262
Cash-on-cash return-14.5%
DSCR0.37
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$2,222 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for North Carolina, $1,852, 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
+4.7%
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
9010011012013020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$186,622
Aug 2022$214,316
Aug 2023$208,494
Aug 2024$229,146
Aug 2025$209,047
Aug 2026$218,794

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$900$910$1,040$1,430$1,500
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: Rutherford County, NC.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.57%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$1,247/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Rutherford County: 0.58%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
9.7
Rutherford County, last 12 months
National percentile
71th
among US counties

257 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
28167Union Mills8.4 mi$242,000$1,030*5.1%-$914
28040Ellenboro8.6 mi$186,000$930*6.0%-$627
28020Casar9.5 mi$156,000$930*7.1%-$431
28136Polkville11.1 mi$135,000$950*8.5%-$266
28160Spindale11.8 mi$148,000$930*7.6%-$396
28043Forest City13.8 mi$190,000$930*5.9%-$641
28761Nebo13.9 mi$376,000$990*3.2%-$1,821
28090Belwood14.5 mi$175,000$1,060*7.3%-$422

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

Every ZIP in Rutherford CountyForest City, NC metroNorth Carolina

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Open the calculator for 28018

Questions

Is 28018 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $219,000 and renting for $1,040 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.7% and the estimated cap rate is 2.4%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$741 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 28018?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 28018. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,040, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 28018?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.57% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $219,000 home that is about $1,247 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 28018 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 28018?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +4.7%.

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.