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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 93108 (Montecito, CA)

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

Data-quality note. This ZIP was flagged by our checks this month (Zillow rent is more than three times HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent, typical of seasonal rental markets). Small samples can move sharply from month to month. The figures are shown as published; treat them with care.
Gross yield
3.5%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.5%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$21,047/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$5,098,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
Typical rent
$14,830/mo
Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$177,960
Vacancy$8,898
Management$13,525
Property tax$25,489
Insurance$1,986
Maintenance$50,978
Net operating income$77,084
Loan payments$329,645
Cash flow-$252,562
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$5,097,834
Down payment (25%)$1,274,459
Loan$3,823,376
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$27,470
Cash in$1,427,394
Cash-on-cash return-17.7%
DSCR0.23
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$1,986 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for California, $1,655, 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
+12.7%
Rent, 12 months
+7.4%
Rent minus price growth
-5.3 pts
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI) Rent (Zillow ZORI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
8010012014016020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical valueRent
Aug 2021$3,487,616n/a
Aug 2022$4,565,356n/a
Aug 2023$4,347,104$13,066
Aug 2024$4,525,006$13,004
Aug 2025$4,524,314$13,806
Aug 2026$5,097,834$14,830

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$3,220$3,630$4,090$5,410$6,030
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026$14,830 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: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.50%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$25,489/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Santa Barbara County: 0.65%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
9.1
Santa Barbara County, last 12 months
National percentile
68th
among US counties

1,360 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
93067Summerland1.9 mi$2,681,000$3,740*1.7%-$14,882
93103Santa Barbara4.3 mi$1,708,000$4,1252.9%-$7,778
93013Carpinteria5.9 mi$1,512,000$4,3533.5%-$6,516
93101Santa Barbara6.2 mi$1,457,000$3,2262.7%-$7,105
93109Santa Barbara7.5 mi$2,364,000$4,3532.2%-$11,899
93110Santa Barbara9.3 mi$1,913,000$3,3442.1%-$10,128
93105Santa Barbara10.8 mi$1,903,000$3,8482.4%-$9,451
93111Santa Barbara11.4 mi$1,666,000$4,0182.9%-$7,833

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

Every ZIP in Santa Barbara CountySanta Maria, CA metroCalifornia

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 93108

Questions

Is 93108 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $5,098,000 and renting for $14,830 a month (Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026), the gross yield is 3.5% and the estimated cap rate is 1.5%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$21,047 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 93108?
Zillow's observed rent index for 93108 was $14,830 a month in August 2026, across all home types. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $4,090, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 93108?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.50% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $5,098,000 home that is about $25,489 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 93108 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 93108?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +12.7% and the typical rent changed +7.4%. Prices rising faster than rents pushes yields down.

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.