Real Estate Investing in Durham, North Carolina (27705)

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

Durham County • Population: 48,412 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 27705 (Durham, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (51/100)

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
  • Elevated vacancy: 8.7% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Durham, NC (27705)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $473,801
Avg Monthly Rent $1,656
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $65,935
% Renters 54.5%

Market Analysis: 27705 Durham

Looking more closely, ZIP 27705 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $474K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

For an experienced owner, 27705 can be a a viable market for hunting ground — but the discount at $474K reflects genuine risk that outside investors often underestimate.

The gap between 27705 and stronger Durham ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Put differently, 48,412 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.

Strategically, 27705 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Durham:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 61/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.2× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,656/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
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
61 days
Average time to sell
Slow
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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 27705

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+9.0% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$144,091/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $195,248 $1,500 5.5% +8.4% $195,248
2BR $294,308 $1,700 4.2% +7.8% $147,154
3BR $432,274 $2,110 3.5% +7.7% $144,091
4BR $705,203 $2,530 2.6% +9.0% $176,301
5BR $854,347 +8.9% $170,869

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$506K$440K$373K$306K$239K$173KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,855$1,676$1,496$1,317$1,138$958Jan 2017Oct 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 27705 Compare?

Metric 27705 Durham Durham-Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina
Home Value $473,801 $318,265 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 4.9% 4.5% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,656 $1,760 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.7% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 27705? Click to expand

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

55% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 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 27705 (Durham, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.9%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $473,801
Monthly Rent $1,656
Price-to-Rent 23.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.2%
Cap Rate 2.7%
5-Year IRR 7.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +4.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.9% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.7%). 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
8.7%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 27705

Population: 48,412

💰 Median Household Income
$65,935
This area
$65,935
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
54.5%
This area
54.5%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.3%
This area
2.3%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
62.9%
This area
62.9%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.1 years
This area
35.1 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
8.7%
This area
8.7%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 62.6%
Black/African American 18.2%
Other/Mixed 11.1%
Asian 8.1%
Hispanic/Latino 6.7%
👶 Under 18
17.7%
This area
17.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
16.4%
This area
16.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.9%
This area
7.9%
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 27705

A Avg School Grade
4 Schools
12.9:1 Avg Class Size
$17,579 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

E K Powe Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
409 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Forest View Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
650 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hillandale Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
529 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,524 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Community School of Digital & Visual Art

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
181 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$17,742 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 1,489 Off-Campus Students
C
Watts College of Nursing
134 students · 2.2 mi
A
Duke University
17,112 students · 2.9 mi
C+
Elevate Salon Institute
85 students · 5.1 mi
C
Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College
32 students · 5.7 mi
C+
North Carolina Central University
7,965 students · 5.8 mi
C
Durham Technical Community College
4,354 students · 6.6 mi
D
Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill
171 students · 7.2 mi
A
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
32,234 students · 8.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,489 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of market is Durham, NC for investors?

Investors tracking Durham, NC will find a 3.0/5 rating supported by $474K median home values and $1,656/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting even-keeled returns.

What are home prices like in Durham, NC?

Median home price in Durham, NC is near $474K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been stable and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

What is the average monthly rent in Durham, NC?

Expect rents around $1,656/mo per month in Durham, NC. With home values at $474K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

How viable is house hacking in Durham, NC?

House hacking in Durham, NC is a challenging. With home values around $474K and rents at $1,656/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

What real estate strategy is ideal for Durham, NC?

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

You know 27705 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 27705 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 27705 ranks in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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