Raleigh, NC Rental Market for Investors
An estimated 53% of Raleigh's active listings could cash-flow as a short-term rental — here's what the numbers say for investors, as of October 2026.
As of October 2026, we analyzed 2,191 active for-sale homes in Raleigh, North Carolina. The typical listing is priced at $425,000 and is projected to generate about $42,331 a year as a short-term rental.
After setting aside an estimated 20% for operating costs, an estimated 52.8% of those homes could still cover an investor mortgage payment on short-term-rental income — roughly in line with the 53.1% median across the 200 major metros we track, ranking Raleigh #102 of 200 for cash-flow potential.
On market momentum: homes in Raleigh sit a median of 64 days on the market, and 27% 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 — Raleigh runs tighter once operating costs are accounted for: many listings need a below-median price, a stronger short-term-rental setup, or more money down before the income covers the payment. It's a market where running the numbers property-by-property matters.
What actually works in Raleigh
Raleigh works for investors, but the window is specific: 425 of the 1,809 Raleigh homes, condos and townhomes we can price confidently clear a DSCR of 1.25. Nine in ten of them are priced under $375,000.
| Price | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed | 5 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150k–$250k | 54%1.26 | 68%1.36 | 95%1.53 | — | — |
| $250k–$350k | 0%0.93 | 31%1.15 | 52%1.27 | 51%1.25 | — |
| $350k–$500k | 0%0.77 | 3%0.82 | 9%1.04 | 17%1.06 | 25%1.06 |
| $500k+ | — | 0%0.52 | 0%0.68 | 3%0.61 | 3%0.50 |
Darker means a larger share of that group cash-flows. “—” means fewer than 8 active listings — too few to draw a conclusion from.
Raleigh in full
| Active for-sale homes analyzed | 2,191 |
|---|---|
| Median list price | $425,000 |
| Median projected STR revenue (annual, gross) | $42,331 |
| Median average daily rate (ADR) | $189 |
| Median occupancy | 61% |
| Median beds | 3 |
| Median size | 1,937 sqft |
| Estimated cash-flow-positive share | 52.8% |
| Median days on market | 64 days |
| New listings (last 30 days) | 27.0% of active |
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Estimates for educational purposes. Final terms subject to credit, property & program approval.
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Prefer to talk now? Call or text Chad: 858-353-8331.