Real Estate Investing in Memphis, Tennessee (38119)

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

Shelby County • Population: 22,332 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 38119 (Memphis, TN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (68/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Memphis, TN (38119)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $294,535
Avg Monthly Rent $1,587
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $92,500
% Renters 40.3%

Market Analysis: 38119 Memphis

This part of Shelby County is not an easy win. The 38119 ZIP reflects softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $295K asset, 38119 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

The gap between 38119 and stronger Memphis ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Who lives in 38119 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 38119 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 Memphis:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 72/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.2× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+0.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,587/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
Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
68 days
Average time to sell
Slow
10.0%
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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 38119

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
7.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+5.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$75,169/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $123,434 $1,310 7.6% +4.1% $123,434
2BR $150,337 $1,450 6.9% +5.7% $75,169
3BR $253,563 $1,920 5.5% +5.8% $84,521
4BR $342,641 $2,230 4.7% +4.9% $85,660
5BR $468,776 +5.1% $93,755

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$318K$280K$241K$203K$164K$126KJun 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,768$1,707$1,647$1,587$1,526$1,466Feb 2024May 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 38119 Compare?

Metric 38119 Memphis Memphis, TN-MS-AR Tennessee
Home Value $294,535 $150,680 N/A $327,001
5-Year CAGR 2.4% 2.6% N/A 7.7%
Avg Rent $1,587 $1,243 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.2% 6.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 38119? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 40% 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 38119 (Memphis, TN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Shelby County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Advantage Property Management offers property management services in Memphis, TN, and surrounding areas, including Section 8 property management, maintenance, and renovations. summary from their website

Section 8
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Enterprise Property Management offers property management services in Memphis. summary from their website

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Foundation Property Management offers property management services in Memphis, TN. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.2%
Fair
5yr Growth
+2.4%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $294,535
Monthly Rent $1,587
Price-to-Rent 15.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.5%
Cap Rate 4.2%
5-Year IRR 6.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +0.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR -0.5% ▼
5-Year CAGR +2.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -7.1% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.2%). 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
7.1%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.4%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 38119

Population: 22,332

💰 Median Household Income
$92,500
This area
$92,500
State
$60,881
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
40.3%
This area
40.3%
State
25.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.9%
This area
3.9%
State
-22.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
51.9%
This area
51.9%
State
-6.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
41.8 years
This area
41.8 years
State
9.9 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.1%
This area
7.1%
State
15.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 49.7%
Black/African American 41.6%
Other/Mixed 6.2%
Hispanic/Latino 3.8%
Asian 2.5%
👶 Under 18
19.9%
This area
19.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.2%
This area
20.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.5%
This area
5.5%
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 38119

B+ Avg School Grade
4 Schools
15.4:1 Avg Class Size
$15,292 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Oak Forest Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
418 Students
👨‍🏫
14.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Balmoral/Ridgeway Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
271 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Ridgeway Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
557 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student
B Good

Ridgeway High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
805 Students
👨‍🏫
18.7:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A Very Good

Farmington Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 2085 Cordes RD, Germantown
👥
645 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,176 Per Student
A Very Good

Forest Hill Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 3366 Forest Hill Irene RD, Germantown
👥
689 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,176 Per Student
A Very Good

Germantown Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 2730 Cross Country Dr, Germantown
👥
558 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student
A Very Good

Hickory Ridge Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 3890 Hickory Hill RD, Memphis
👥
616 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 Per Student
A Very Good

Winridge Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 3500 Ridgeway RD, Memphis
👥
415 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,292 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 5,147 Off-Campus Students
C+
Gould's Academy
164 students · 1.5 mi
F
Strayer University-Tennessee
2,920 students · 3.1 mi
D
Concorde Career College-Memphis
420 students · 3.5 mi
B
Mid-South Christian College
32 students · 3.9 mi
C
Empire Beauty School-E Memphis
216 students · 4.0 mi
C
Health-Tech Institute of Memphis
4 students · 5.5 mi
C
Southwest Tennessee Community College
6,980 students · 5.7 mi
C+
University of Memphis
21,736 students · 5.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 5,147 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do rents currently stand in Memphis, TN?

Rental rates in Memphis, TN average $1,587/mo. Tenant demand and $295K home values make the yield look reasonable by investor standards.

Which real estate strategy fits Memphis, TN?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Memphis, TN. With home values at $295K and rents near $1,587/mo, other strategies can work but produce consistent rather than outsized returns.

Is Memphis, TN a good place for real estate investing?

Our data puts Memphis, TN at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $295K and rents around $1,587/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Does house hacking make sense in Memphis, TN?

Memphis, TN is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $295K price point reasonable to enter.

Are renters plentiful in Memphis, TN?

Memphis, TN offers a even-keeled renter base at the $1,587/mo rent level. Tenant turnover is reasonable for well-managed properties.

You know 38119 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 38119 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 38119 ranks in Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable → 1% Rule →
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