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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 71968 (Royal, AR)

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
5.1%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.2%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,030/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$291,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,250/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$15,000
Vacancy$750
Management$1,140
Property tax$1,493
Insurance$2,244
Maintenance$2,910
Net operating income$6,463
Loan payments$18,819
Cash flow-$12,356
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$291,031
Down payment (25%)$72,758
Loan$218,273
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,568
Cash in$81,489
Cash-on-cash return-15.2%
DSCR0.34
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$2,244 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Arkansas, $1,870, 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
+3.2%
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 2021$220,096
Aug 2022$249,215
Aug 2023$261,001
Aug 2024$279,882
Aug 2025$282,085
Aug 2026$291,031

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$950$960$1,250$1,600$1,910
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: Hot Springs, AR MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.51%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$1,493/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Garland County: 0.48%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
7.1
Garland County, last 12 months
National percentile
60th
among US counties

311 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
71964Pearcy7.5 mi$265,000$1,080*4.9%-$1,030
71933Bonnerdale8.5 mi$254,000$940*4.4%-$1,048
71956Mountain Pine10.8 mi$126,000$940*8.9%-$217
71949Jessieville12.1 mi$166,000$1,190*8.6%-$228
71913Hot Springs12.3 mi$263,000$1,2985.9%-$799
71929Bismarck17.0 mi$233,000$1,010*5.2%-$856
71957Mount Ida17.6 mi$244,000$880*4.3%-$1,014
71901Hot Springs18.0 mi$212,000$1,0816.1%-$650

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

Every ZIP in Garland CountyHot Springs, AR metroArkansas

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Open the calculator for 71968

Questions

Is 71968 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $291,000 and renting for $1,250 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.1% and the estimated cap rate is 2.2%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,030 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 71968?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 71968. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,250, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 71968?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.51% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $291,000 home that is about $1,493 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 71968 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 71968?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +3.2%.

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.