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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 95010 (Capitola, CA)

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

Gross yield
3.2%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
0.9%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$5,699/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$1,239,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
Typical rent
$3,337/mo
Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$40,044
Vacancy$2,002
Management$3,043
Property tax$8,850
Insurance$1,986
Maintenance$12,394
Net operating income$11,768
Loan payments$80,147
Cash flow-$68,378
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$1,239,438
Down payment (25%)$309,860
Loan$929,579
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$6,679
Cash in$347,043
Cash-on-cash return-19.7%
DSCR0.15
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
+6.8%
Rent, 12 months
+5.8%
Rent minus price growth
-0.9 pts
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI) Rent (Zillow ZORI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
10010511011512012520222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical valueRent
Aug 2021$1,079,807n/a
Aug 2022$1,259,008n/a
Aug 2023$1,191,943n/a
Aug 2024$1,211,009$3,039
Aug 2025$1,160,976$3,153
Aug 2026$1,239,438$3,337

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$3,290$3,410$4,360$5,560$5,850
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026$3,337 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 Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.71%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$8,850/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Santa Cruz County: 0.64%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
7.4
Santa Cruz County, last 12 months
National percentile
61th
among US counties

714 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
95062Santa Cruz1.9 mi$1,318,000$3,5843.3%-$5,897
95065Santa Cruz4.2 mi$1,343,000$4,800*4.3%-$5,106
95073Soquel4.6 mi$1,371,000$4,300*3.8%-$5,707
95064Santa Cruz5.8 mi$695,000$3,810*6.6%-$1,625
95003Aptos6.3 mi$1,340,000$3,9753.6%-$5,759
95066Scotts Valley7.1 mi$1,257,000$3,8443.7%-$5,336
95041Felton7.7 mi$797,000$4,520*6.8%-$1,568
95060Santa Cruz8.0 mi$1,388,000$3,5183.0%-$6,402

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

Every ZIP in Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz, CA metroCalifornia

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Open the calculator for 95010

Questions

Is 95010 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $1,239,000 and renting for $3,337 a month (Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026), the gross yield is 3.2% and the estimated cap rate is 0.9%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$5,699 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 95010?
Zillow's observed rent index for 95010 was $3,337 a month in August 2026, across all home types. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $4,360, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 95010?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.71% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $1,239,000 home that is about $8,850 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 95010 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 95010?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +6.8% and the typical rent changed +5.8%. 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.