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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 94070 (San Carlos, CA)

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

Gross yield
2.2%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
0.4%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$12,394/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$2,431,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
Typical rent
$4,477/mo
Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$53,724
Vacancy$2,686
Management$4,083
Property tax$12,157
Insurance$1,986
Maintenance$24,314
Net operating income$8,498
Loan payments$157,222
Cash flow-$148,724
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$2,431,375
Down payment (25%)$607,844
Loan$1,823,531
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$13,102
Cash in$680,785
Cash-on-cash return-21.8%
DSCR0.05
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
+7.4%
Rent, 12 months
+9.2%
Rent minus price growth
+1.7 pts
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI) Rent (Zillow ZORI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
9010011012013014020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical valueRent
Aug 2021$2,039,023$3,410
Aug 2022$2,336,575$3,596
Aug 2023$2,098,170$3,690
Aug 2024$2,214,027$3,828
Aug 2025$2,263,118$4,102
Aug 2026$2,431,375$4,477

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$2,720$3,260$3,950$5,050$5,230
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026$4,477 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: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.50%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$12,157/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. San Mateo County: 0.61%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
6.0
San Mateo County, last 12 months
National percentile
54th
among US counties

1,600 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
94002Belmont1.8 mi$2,258,000$3,6771.9%-$11,941
94065Redwood City2.8 mi$1,778,000$3,8502.6%-$8,683
94061Redwood City3.1 mi$1,969,000$3,6042.2%-$10,074
94403San Mateo3.4 mi$1,812,000$3,8192.5%-$8,966
94404Foster City4.0 mi$1,694,000$4,4333.1%-$7,653
94063Redwood City4.0 mi$1,288,000$4,5084.2%-$4,886
94402San Mateo4.4 mi$2,462,000$4,0712.0%-$12,954
94027Atherton4.8 mi$8,620,000$4,080*0.6%-$53,822

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

Every ZIP in San Mateo CountySan Francisco, CA metroCalifornia

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Open the calculator for 94070

Questions

Is 94070 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $2,431,000 and renting for $4,477 a month (Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026), the gross yield is 2.2% and the estimated cap rate is 0.4%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$12,394 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 94070?
Zillow's observed rent index for 94070 was $4,477 a month in August 2026, across all home types. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $3,950, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 94070?
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 $2,431,000 home that is about $12,157 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 94070 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 94070?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +7.4% and the typical rent changed +9.2%. Rents rising faster than prices pushes yields up.

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.