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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 51562 (Panama, IA)

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
4.5%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.2%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,148/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$261,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$980/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$11,760
Vacancy$588
Management$894
Property tax$2,926
Insurance$1,610
Maintenance$2,615
Net operating income$3,128
Loan payments$16,907
Cash flow-$13,779
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$261,464
Down payment (25%)$65,366
Loan$196,098
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,409
Cash in$73,210
Cash-on-cash return-18.8%
DSCR0.18
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$1,610 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Iowa, $1,342, 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
+8.5%
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
10011012013014020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021n/a
Aug 2022$211,481
Aug 2023$209,980
Aug 2024$223,779
Aug 2025$241,018
Aug 2026$261,464

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$750$870$980$1,340$1,430
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: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.12%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,926/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Shelby County: 1.28%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
1.0
Shelby County, last 12 months
National percentile
16th
among US counties

5 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
51530Earling5.4 mi$243,000$920*4.5%-$1,105
51565Portsmouth5.9 mi$279,000$960*4.1%-$1,252
51527Defiance11.2 mi$215,000$920*5.1%-$863
51537Harlan11.4 mi$207,000$990*5.7%-$800
51563Persia11.7 mi$264,000$1,180*5.4%-$1,002
51579Woodbine11.9 mi$239,000$1,060*5.3%-$922
51529Dunlap12.1 mi$206,000$1,040*6.1%-$735
51528Charter Oak12.7 mi$168,000$920*6.6%-$542

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

Every ZIP in Shelby CountyIowa

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Open the calculator for 51562

Questions

Is 51562 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $261,000 and renting for $980 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 4.5% and the estimated cap rate is 1.2%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,148 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 51562?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 51562. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $980, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 51562?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.12% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $261,000 home that is about $2,926 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 51562 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 51562?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +8.5%.

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.