Real Estate Investing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (27106)

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

Forsyth County • Population: 49,296 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 27106 (Winston-Salem, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (52/100)

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
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 12.7% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Winston-Salem, NC (27106)?

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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 $336,353
Avg Monthly Rent $1,285
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $63,308
% Renters 46.9%

Market Analysis: 27106 Winston-Salem

The 27106 ZIP in Winston-Salem, NC is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $336K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 27106 registers the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Regionally, 27106 sits on the difficult end of the NC spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Stepping back, 49,296 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.

New investors are better served looking at Winston-Salem's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 27106. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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 Winston-Salem:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 70/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,285/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
47 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.4%
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 Winston-Salem, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 27106

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+10.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$86,360/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $172,719 $1,360 5.7% +10.4% $86,360
3BR $291,802 $1,770 4.4% +7.7% $97,267
4BR $478,335 $2,100 3.2% +7.3% $119,584
5BR $815,607 +7.5% $163,121

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$355K$314K$273K$232K$192K$151KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,385$1,241$1,098$954$811$667Jul 2016Jul 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 27106 Compare?

Metric 27106 Winston-Salem Winston-Salem, NC North Carolina
Home Value $336,353 $67,908 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 5.3% 5.2% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,285 $1,520 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.0% 4.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 27106? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 47% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 27106 (Winston-Salem, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.3%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $336,353
Monthly Rent $1,285
Price-to-Rent 21.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.6%
Cap Rate 3.0%
5-Year IRR 8.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.3% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -2.1% ▼
3-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.3% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.0%). 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
12.7%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.3%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 27106

Population: 49,296

💰 Median Household Income
$63,308
This area
$63,308
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
46.9%
This area
46.9%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.6%
This area
2.6%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
47.1%
This area
47.1%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
38.3 years
This area
38.3 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
12.7%
This area
12.7%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 56.2%
Black/African American 29.0%
Other/Mixed 11.6%
Hispanic/Latino 9.8%
Asian 3.3%
👶 Under 18
22.4%
This area
22.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
16.9%
This area
16.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.7%
This area
6.7%
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

🎓 Schools in 27106

B+ Avg School Grade
13 Schools
13.9:1 Avg Class Size
$14,083 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Gibson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
659 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
A Very Good

Jefferson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
579 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
A Very Good

Northwest Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
759 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
A Very Good

Old Town Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
613 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
A Very Good

Sherwood Forest Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
648 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Meadowlark Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
809 Students
👨‍🏫
13.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Speas Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
770 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Thomas Jefferson Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
767 Students
👨‍🏫
16.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Meadowlark Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
827 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B Good

Childrens Center

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
68 Students
👨‍🏫
5.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B Good

The Special Children's School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
56 Students
👨‍🏫
4.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
B Good

Mount Tabor High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,393 Students
👨‍🏫
17.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,195 Per Student
C+ Average

Forsyth Academy

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
769 Students
👨‍🏫
20.3:1 Class Size
💰
$12,742 Per Student
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

8 Nearby 2,575 Off-Campus Students
D
Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem
72 students · 2.3 mi
B+
Wake Forest University
9,121 students · 2.6 mi
D
Carolina Christian College
74 students · 3.7 mi
C
Carolina University
893 students · 5.5 mi
C+
Forsyth Technical Community College
8,716 students · 5.8 mi
C
Salem College
519 students · 6.0 mi
C
Winston Salem Barber School
36 students · 6.3 mi
C+
Winston-Salem State University
4,776 students · 6.6 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,575 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are home prices like in Winston-Salem, NC?

Median home price in Winston-Salem, NC is near $336K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been reliable and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

Is Winston-Salem, NC better for rentals, flips, or BRRRR?

For Winston-Salem, NC, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

How quickly do rentals get leased in Winston-Salem, NC?

Winston-Salem, NC carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect steady absorption at market rents of $1,285/mo.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Winston-Salem, NC?

House hacking in Winston-Salem, NC is a challenging. With home values around $336K and rents at $1,285/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

How landlord-friendly is Winston-Salem, NC?

Landlord-friendliness in Winston-Salem, NC is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

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How 27106 ranks in Winston-Salem, NC

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