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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 28785 (Waynesville, 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
3.8%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.2%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,699/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$390,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,240/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$14,880
Vacancy$744
Management$1,131
Property tax$2,041
Insurance$2,222
Maintenance$3,902
Net operating income$4,840
Loan payments$25,235
Cash flow-$20,395
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$390,242
Down payment (25%)$97,561
Loan$292,682
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$2,103
Cash in$109,268
Cash-on-cash return-18.7%
DSCR0.19
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
-2.5%
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
10011012013020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$324,033
Aug 2022$371,071
Aug 2023$381,994
Aug 2024$403,325
Aug 2025$400,151
Aug 2026$390,242

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$1,050$1,130$1,240$1,490$1,860
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: Haywood County, NC.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.52%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,041/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Haywood County: 0.57%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
17.1
Haywood County, last 12 months
National percentile
87th
among US counties

464 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
28751Maggie Valley10.3 mi$389,000$1,280*4.0%-$1,672
37722Cosby11.7 mi$274,000$1,040*4.5%-$1,051
28721Clyde11.8 mi$338,000$1,370*4.9%-$1,250
37753Hartford11.9 mi$211,000$950*5.4%-$744
28745Lake Junaluska13.0 mi$441,000$1,270*3.5%-$2,024
28786Waynesville15.7 mi$342,000$1,7496.1%-$941
37727Del Rio17.3 mi$255,000$930*4.4%-$1,060
28743Hot Springs17.7 mi$324,000$1,370*5.1%-$1,208

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

Every ZIP in Haywood CountyAsheville, NC metroNorth Carolina

Run the numbers on a real listing

The calculator opens with this ZIP's figures. Swap in a listing's price and rent, your rate and your costs.

Open the calculator for 28785

Questions

Is 28785 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $390,000 and renting for $1,240 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 3.8% and the estimated cap rate is 1.2%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,699 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 28785?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 28785. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,240, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 28785?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.52% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $390,000 home that is about $2,041 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 28785 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 28785?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed -2.5%.

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.