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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 49836 (Germfask, MI)

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
5.2%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.1%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$824/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$225,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$970/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$11,640
Vacancy$582
Management$885
Property tax$1,947
Insurance$1,332
Maintenance$2,248
Net operating income$4,647
Loan payments$14,536
Cash flow-$9,889
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$224,795
Down payment (25%)$56,199
Loan$168,596
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,211
Cash in$62,943
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$1,332 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Michigan, $1,110, 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
+4.9%
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
9510010511011512020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$190,532
Aug 2022$203,225
Aug 2023$211,584
Aug 2024$207,155
Aug 2025$214,271
Aug 2026$224,795

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$710$800$970$1,260$1,380
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: Mackinac County, MI.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.87%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$1,947/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Schoolcraft County: 0.99%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
3.3
Schoolcraft County, last 12 months
National percentile
37th
among US counties

13 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
49840Gulliver7.5 mi$213,000$970*5.5%-$718
49820Curtis11.9 mi$225,000$1,020*5.5%-$871
49853McMillan13.6 mi$173,000$970*6.7%-$448
49838Gould City14.2 mi$214,000$1,020*5.7%-$680
49827Engadine17.9 mi$192,000$1,040*6.5%-$529
49854Manistique22.9 mi$194,000$970*6.0%-$653
49884Shingleton26.3 mi$186,000$1,070*6.9%-$454
49868Newberry28.2 mi$117,000$1,000*10.3%-$73

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

Every ZIP in Schoolcraft CountyMichigan

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Open the calculator for 49836

Questions

Is 49836 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $225,000 and renting for $970 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.2% and the estimated cap rate is 2.1%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$824 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 49836?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 49836. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $970, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 49836?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.87% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $225,000 home that is about $1,947 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 49836 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 49836?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +4.9%.

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.