Real Estate Investing in Wells, New York (12856)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Hamilton County • Population: 300 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 12856 (Wells, NY)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (46/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
3 flags
  • High vacancy: 46.8% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 26.4 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Wells, NY (12856)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $348,286
Avg Monthly Rent $1,098
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $56,141
% Renters 43.5%

Market Analysis: 12856 Wells

ZIP 12856 in Wells, NY carries a durable set of headwinds. Home values near $348K and rents of $1,098/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 12856 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Regionally, 12856 sits on the difficult end of the NY spectrum. The a viable market for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

On the rental side, 300 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 12856 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Wells:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 60/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.2× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+10.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,098/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Glens Falls, NY Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
46 days
Average time to sell
Average
8.9%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Glens Falls, NY metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$362K$322K$281K$240K$199K$158KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 12856 Compare?

Metric 12856 Wells Glens Falls, NY New York
Home Value $348,286 $288,862 N/A $505,608
5-Year CAGR 7.5% 7.2% N/A 6.6%
Avg Rent $1,098 $1,089 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.5% 3.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 12856? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 44% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 12856 (Wells, NY). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.5%
Low
5yr Growth
+7.5%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Glens Falls, NY metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
48%
Days Pending
1/2
46 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $348,286
Monthly Rent $1,098
Price-to-Rent 26.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.8%
Cap Rate 2.5%
5-Year IRR 9.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +10.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
46.8%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.5%
Growing
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 12856

Population: 300

💰 Median Household Income
$56,141
This area
$56,141
State
$86,376
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
43.5%
This area
43.5%
State
26.4%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
-24.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
69.2%
This area
69.2%
State
4.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
29.6 years
This area
29.6 years
State
7.4 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
46.8%
This area
46.8%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 100.0%
👶 Under 18
10.9%
This area
10.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
24.9%
This area
24.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

How high is vacancy risk in Wells, NY?

Rental vacancy in Wells, NY is elevated. Investors should budget normal turnover but not chronic empty units.

What are home prices like in Wells, NY?

Wells, NY home values average about $348K. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $1,098/mo in monthly income.

What is the best play in Wells, NY?

Most investors in Wells, NY run a careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy. It aligns with the 3.0/5 investability profile and the market fundamentals.

Is house hacking profitable in Wells, NY?

Wells, NY is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $348K price point reasonable to enter.

How does Wells, NY rate as a rental market?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Wells, NY ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $348K and rents of $1,098/mo drive the underlying numbers.

You know 12856 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 12856 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 12856 ranks in Glens Falls, NY

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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