Real Estate Investing in Bethesda, Maryland (20816)
Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.
Should you buy in 20816 (Bethesda, MD)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.
Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.
A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.
No major risk flags on the data we track.
What’s happening in Bethesda, MD (20816)?
Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.
Market Analysis: 20816 Bethesda
The 20816 ZIP covers a section of Bethesda that demands careful diligence. Prices near $1.3M look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.
Rent of $4,353/mo on a $1.3M basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 20816 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.
Within MD, ZIP 20816 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Montgomery County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and resilient enough to shape underwriting.
Resident income in 20816 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.
New investors are better served looking at Bethesda's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 20816. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.
Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Bethesda:
Property Strategy for 20816
Which property type performs best in this market?
📊 Compare All Property Types →
| Type | Median Value | Est. Rent | Cap Rate | 5yr CAGR | $/Bedroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR | $273,206 | $2,700 | 7.1% | +2.6% | $273,206 |
| 2BR | $557,999 | $3,010 | 3.9% | +4.2% | $279,000 |
| 3BR | $1,168,813 | $3,800 | 2.3% | +5.5% | $389,604 |
| 4BR | $1,452,704 | $4,470 | 2.2% | +5.8% | $363,176 |
| 5BR | $1,904,005 | — | — | +6.0% | $380,801 |
Market Trends
Home Value History (with trend line)
Rent History (with trend line)
📊 How Does 20816 Compare?
| Metric | 20816 | Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Value | $1,290,238 | $560,037 | $424,997 |
| 5-Year CAGR | 3.1% | 2.8% | 4.9% |
| Avg Rent | $4,353 | $3,629 | - |
| Cap Rate | 2.6% | 2.6% | - |
Similar ZIPs Within 25 Miles
Compare other nearby markets to see if a neighbor offers a better fit.
Landlord Ground Truth
Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 20816 (Bethesda, MD). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.
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📊 Market Snapshot
| Home Value | $1,290,238 |
| Monthly Rent | $4,353 |
| Price-to-Rent | 24.7:1 |
| 1% Rule | ✗ Fails |
💰 Return Metrics
| Gross Yield | 4.1% |
| Cap Rate | 2.6% |
| 5-Year IRR | 5.7% |
📈 Home Appreciation
| 1-Year | +1.2% ▲ |
| 3-Year CAGR | +2.3% ▲ |
| 5-Year CAGR | +3.1% ▲ |
| 10-Year CAGR | +3.8% ▲ |
🏠 Rent Trends
| 1-Year | +35.4% ▲ |
| 3-Year CAGR | N/A |
| 5-Year CAGR | N/A |
The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.6%). 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.
Demographics in 20816
Population: 18,081
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
🎓 Schools in 20816
Schools in This ZIP Code
Nearby Schools (5 more)
Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area
Mann ES
Janney ES
Key ES
Rock Creek Forest Elementary
Somerset Elementary
About Repit School Scores
Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.
We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:
- Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
- School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
- Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
- School Environment — Size, type, and structure
Scores are updated annually using federal education data.
🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities
Investor Insight: With 1,958 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tight is the rental market in Bethesda, MD?
Expect elevated vacancy in Bethesda, MD. Rents at $4,353/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.
Does Bethesda, MD favor landlords or tenants?
Landlord-friendliness in Bethesda, MD is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.
How does Bethesda, MD rate as a rental market?
With a 3.0/5 investability score, Bethesda, MD ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $1.3M and rents of $4,353/mo drive the underlying numbers.
How should investors approach Bethesda, MD?
Bethesda, MD investors pursuing careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The underlying economics ($1.3M prices, $4,353/mo rents) make it a reasonable choice.
How much is rent in Bethesda, MD?
Rent in Bethesda, MD is around $4,353/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $1.3M pricing is reasonable for most investor models.
You know 20816 now. You don’t know where it ranks.
This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 20816 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.
How 20816 ranks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
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