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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 28412 (Wilmington, NC)

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

Gross yield
4.8%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.1%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,436/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$393,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
Typical rent
$1,567/mo
Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$18,804
Vacancy$940
Management$1,429
Property tax$2,088
Insurance$2,222
Maintenance$3,932
Net operating income$8,192
Loan payments$25,428
Cash flow-$17,236
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$393,240
Down payment (25%)$98,310
Loan$294,930
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$2,119
Cash in$110,107
Cash-on-cash return-15.7%
DSCR0.32
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
-1.4%
Rent, 12 months
+1.4%
Rent minus price growth
+2.8 pts
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI) Rent (Zillow ZORI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
10011012013014020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical valueRent
Aug 2021$306,186$1,255
Aug 2022$365,218$1,630
Aug 2023$389,906$1,572
Aug 2024$402,290$1,549
Aug 2025$398,693$1,545
Aug 2026$393,240$1,567

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$1,200$1,590$1,740$2,280$2,430
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026$1,567 typical, all home types

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: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.53%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,088/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. New Hanover County: 0.54%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
22.9
New Hanover County, last 12 months
National percentile
93th
among US counties

2,398 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
28409Wilmington3.6 mi$514,000$2,2225.2%-$1,692
28479Winnabow6.0 mi$362,000$1,420*4.7%-$1,358
28403Wilmington6.5 mi$398,000$1,7335.2%-$1,361
28428Carolina Beach6.6 mi$601,000$2,2614.5%-$2,203
28480Wrightsville Beach8.8 mi$1,754,000$2,470*1.7%-$9,694
28405Wilmington9.5 mi$375,000$1,7385.6%-$1,165
28449Kure Beach11.2 mi$755,000$1,760*2.8%-$3,674
28401Wilmington11.3 mi$331,000$1,6706.1%-$940

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

Every ZIP in New Hanover CountyWilmington, NC metroNorth Carolina

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Open the calculator for 28412

Questions

Is 28412 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $393,000 and renting for $1,567 a month (Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026), the gross yield is 4.8% and the estimated cap rate is 2.1%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,436 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 28412?
Zillow's observed rent index for 28412 was $1,567 a month in August 2026, across all home types. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,740, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 28412?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.53% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $393,000 home that is about $2,088 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 28412 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 28412?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed -1.4% and the typical rent changed +1.4%. Rents rising faster than prices pushes yields up.

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.