Detroit, MI Rental Market for Investors
An estimated 83% of Detroit's active listings could cash-flow as a short-term rental — here's what the numbers say for investors, as of August 2026.
Homes in Detroit that pencil right now
A sample of active Detroit listings whose DSCR clears 1.25 using short-term rental income projections we accept as a direct lender. These are spread across the price range, not ranked, and current as of August 2026.
$135,000DSCR 2.274 bed · 2 bath · 1,308 sqft
- STR revenue
- $29,398/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $862/mo
On the market 171 days · Listed by Keller Williams Professionals
Scout this home & market: 4-bed house in Detroit
$169,000DSCR 1.984 bed · 1.5 bath · 2,051 sqft
- STR revenue
- $32,338/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,087/mo
On the market 40 days · Listed by Gateway Brokerage
Scout this home & market: 4-bed house in Detroit
$175,000DSCR 1.853 bed · 1 bath · 1,330 sqft
- STR revenue
- $29,246/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,052/mo
On the market 976 days · Listed by Herbert J Hill Realty Real Estate Master
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
$189,000DSCR 1.273 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,600 sqft
- STR revenue
- $22,898/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,205/mo
On the market 102 days · Listed by LeBoursia Realty Group
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
$199,000DSCR 2.103 bed · 2 bath · 1,458 sqft
- STR revenue
- $35,870/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,141/mo
On the market 101 days · Listed by United Front Realty Llc
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
$224,900DSCR 1.403 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,900 sqft
- STR revenue
- $30,339/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,450/mo
On the market 18 days · Listed by Brookstone Realtors Llc
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
$245,000DSCR 2.013 bed · 2 bath · 1,388 sqft
- STR revenue
- $43,695/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,450/mo
On the market 93 days · Listed by Brookstone Realtors Llc
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
$330,000DSCR 1.303 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,400 sqft
- STR revenue
- $67,042/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $3,445/mo
On the market 15 days · Listed by @properties REMI Christie's Int'l RE Detroit
Scout this home & market: 3-bed townhouse in Detroit
$399,000DSCR 1.383 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,504 sqft
- STR revenue
- $46,746/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $2,251/mo
On the market 26 days · Listed by Signature Sotheby's International Realty
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Detroit
As of August 2026, we analyzed 1,086 active for-sale homes in Detroit, Michigan. The typical listing is priced at $229,000 and is projected to generate about $39,616 a year as a short-term rental.
After setting aside an estimated 20% for operating costs, an estimated 83.4% of those homes could still cover an investor mortgage payment on short-term-rental income — well above the 52.5% median across the 200 major metros we track, ranking Detroit #5 of 200 for cash-flow potential.
On market momentum: homes in Detroit sit a median of 59 days on the market, and 31% of active listings came on in just the last 30 days — a steadily paced market, which shapes how much room there is to negotiate.
For a DSCR loan — which qualifies on the property's rental income rather than your personal income — that's a relatively healthy setup: in Detroit, a meaningful share of listings throw off enough short-term-rental income, after costs, to cover an estimated investor mortgage payment.
What actually works in Detroit
Detroit is a broad cash-flow market right now: 340 of the 598 Detroit homes, condos and townhomes we can price confidently clear a DSCR of 1.25. Nine in ten of them are priced under $300,000.
| Price | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed | 5 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $150k | — | — | 80%1.77 | — | — |
| $150k–$250k | 20%1.10 | 26%1.12 | 79%1.60 | 95%1.97 | 100%2.17 |
| $250k–$350k | 5%0.94 | 7%0.93 | 44%1.16 | 75%1.51 | 100%2.00 |
| $350k–$500k | 0%0.86 | 8%0.94 | 22%1.04 | 18%1.17 | — |
| $500k+ | — | — | 7%0.77 | 0%0.78 | — |
Darker means a larger share of that group cash-flows. “—” means fewer than 8 active listings — too few to draw a conclusion from.
Detroit in full
| Active for-sale homes analyzed | 1,086 |
|---|---|
| Median list price | $229,000 |
| Median projected STR revenue (annual, gross) | $39,616 |
| Median average daily rate (ADR) | $213 |
| Median occupancy | 49% |
| Median beds | 3 |
| Median size | 1,694 sqft |
| Estimated cash-flow-positive share | 83.4% |
| Median days on market | 59 days |
| New listings (last 30 days) | 31.3% of active |
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