Real Estate Investing in Grand Marais, Michigan (49839)

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

Alger • Population: 284 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 49839 (Grand Marais, MI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 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: 71.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• 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 Grand Marais, MI (49839)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $258,631
Avg Monthly Rent $954
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $44,716
% Renters 15.1%

Market Analysis: 49839 Grand Marais

ZIP 49839 in Grand Marais, MI carries a healthy set of headwinds. Home values near $259K and rents of $954/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $259K asset, 49839 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

Turning to rents, 49839 offers a low basis, the region around Grand Marais has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

The 49839 ZIP's population of 284 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that reports the need for careful underwriting.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. durable returns are possible in 49839, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

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 Grand Marais:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 65/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.8× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+18.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $954/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.

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$270K$237K$205K$172K$140K$107KJan 2016May 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 49839 Compare?

Metric 49839 Grand Marais Michigan
Home Value $258,631 $258,631 $253,279
5-Year CAGR 10.0% 10.0% 6.8%
Avg Rent $954 $954 -
Cap Rate 2.9% 2.9% -
💡 Why Invest in 49839? Click to expand

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

📊 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 49839 (Grand Marais, MI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.9%
Low
5yr Growth
+10.0%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $258,631
Monthly Rent $954
Price-to-Rent 22.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.4%
Cap Rate 2.9%
5-Year IRR 12.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +18.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +11.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +10.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.9%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.9%). 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
71.0%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+10.0%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 49839

Population: 284

💰 Median Household Income
$44,716
This area
$44,716
State
$68,013
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
15.1%
This area
15.1%
State
19.4%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
-2.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
21.8%
This area
21.8%
State
16.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
68.3 years
This area
68.3 years
State
36.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
71.0%
This area
71.0%
State
20.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 96.1%
Other/Mixed 3.2%
Hispanic/Latino 2.6%
Black/African American 0.6%
👶 Under 18
6.5%
This area
6.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
61.2%
This area
61.2%
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

🎓 Schools in 49839

A Avg School Grade
1 Schools
9.6:1 Avg Class Size
$46,069 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Burt Township School

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
40 Students
👨‍🏫
9.6:1 Class Size
💰
$46,069 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do rentals sit vacant long in Grand Marais, MI?

Expect elevated vacancy in Grand Marais, MI. Rents at $954/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

How strong is the working-renter base in Grand Marais, MI?

The renter base in Grand Marais, MI is reasonable for the $954/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields stable tenants.

Does Grand Marais, MI make sense for an investment property?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Grand Marais, MI ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $259K and rents of $954/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Is Grand Marais, MI suited for a house hack?

The a challenging house-hack environment in Grand Marais, MI reflects the rent-to-price spread. Expect meaningful PITI offset at market rents.

How should investors approach Grand Marais, MI?

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

You know 49839 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 49839 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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