Real Estate Investing in Albuquerque, New Mexico (87121)

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

Bernalillo County • Population: 76,135 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 87121 (Albuquerque, NM)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (77/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

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

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Albuquerque, NM (87121)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $292,780
Avg Monthly Rent $1,671
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $53,326
% Renters 24.9%

Market Analysis: 87121 Albuquerque

ZIP 87121 in Albuquerque, NM carries a durable set of headwinds. Home values near $293K and rents of $1,671/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 87121 sits at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Regionally, 87121 sits on the difficult end of the NM spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Employment concentration in 87121 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 87121 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 Albuquerque:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 74/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
14/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.5× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,671/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
Albuquerque, NM Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
40 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.6%
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 Albuquerque, NM metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 87121

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
6.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+11.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$69,615/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $238,441 $1,730 5.2% +11.3% $119,221
3BR $278,691 $2,410 6.2% +10.1% $92,897
4BR $314,784 $2,830 6.5% +9.6% $78,696
5BR $348,073 +9.1% $69,615

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$307K$265K$223K$181K$139K$97KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,721$1,586$1,450$1,315$1,180$1,044Mar 2021Nov 2023Jul 2026

📊 How Does 87121 Compare?

Metric 87121 Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM New Mexico
Home Value $292,780 $141,103 N/A $308,799
5-Year CAGR 7.2% 5.9% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,671 $1,488 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.5% 3.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 87121? 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 →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 87121 (Albuquerque, NM). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Bernalillo County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Rhino Realty Property Management offers full-service property management and investment services for single-family homes, multifamily properties, condos, townhomes, and apartments in Albuquerque and R summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

BottomLineManagement.com is a domain name available for sale. summary from their website

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Deacon Property Services operates as a real estate agency. 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
4.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
+7.2%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Albuquerque, NM metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
48%
Days Pending
0/2
40 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $292,780
Monthly Rent $1,671
Price-to-Rent 14.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.9%
Cap Rate 4.5%
5-Year IRR 11.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +2.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.8% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.5%). 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
4.1%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 87121

Population: 76,135

💰 Median Household Income
$53,326
This area
$53,326
State
$55,880
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
24.9%
This area
24.9%
State
21.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.4%
This area
3.4%
State
-32.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
12.9%
This area
12.9%
State
-18.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
30.0 years
This area
30.0 years
State
-44.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.1%
This area
4.1%
State
29.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Other/Mixed 50.3%
White 46.2%
Hispanic/Latino 44.6%
Black/African American 2.3%
Asian 1.3%
👶 Under 18
29.2%
This area
29.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
7.6%
This area
7.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
18.4%
This area
18.4%
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 87121

B+ Avg School Grade
17 Schools
13.7:1 Avg Class Size
$15,512 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

ALAMOSA ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
370 Students
👨‍🏫
9.8:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

CARLOS REY ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
474 Students
👨‍🏫
10.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

MARYANN BINFORD ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
438 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

TRUMAN MIDDLE

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
573 Students
👨‍🏫
10.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

EDWARD GONZALES ELEMENTARY

📚 03 – 05 Elementary
👥
348 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

HELEN CORDERO PRIMARY

📚 Pre-K – 02 Elementary
👥
443 Students
👨‍🏫
12.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

JIMMY CARTER MIDDLE

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
471 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
A Very Good

RUDOLFO ANAYA ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
574 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B+ Above Average

ROBERT F. KENNEDY CHARTER

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
351 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B+ Above Average

MARK ARMIJO ACADEMY

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
220 Students
👨‍🏫
13.2:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B+ Above Average

SW AERONAUTICS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
306 Students
👨‍🏫
18.9:1 Class Size
💰
$18,185 Per Student
B Good

GEORGE I SANCHEZ

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
1,099 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B Good

LA ACADEMIA DE ESPERANZA

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
237 Students
👨‍🏫
15.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B Good

RIO GRANDE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

📚 K – 07 School Charter
👥
141 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
B Good

WEST MESA HIGH

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,612 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
B Good

ATRISCO HERITAGE ACADEMY HS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
2,055 Students
👨‍🏫
15.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,508 Per Student
C+ Average

MISSION ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS 2.0

📚 Pre-K – 09 High School Charter
👥
1,117 Students
👨‍🏫
19.6:1 Class Size
💰
$12,889 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

3 Nearby 7,893 Off-Campus Students
C
Brookline College-Albuquerque
492 students · 12.0 mi
C
Aveda Institute-New Mexico
157 students · 13.2 mi
C
Central New Mexico Community College
19,067 students · 14.7 mi

Investor Insight: With 7,893 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly do rentals get leased in Albuquerque, NM?

Albuquerque, NM vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Does Albuquerque, NM favor landlords or tenants?

NM ranks as a landlord-friendly state for landlord-tenant law. Albuquerque generally follows the statewide framework, so landlords face reasonable operating rules.

What real estate strategy is ideal for Albuquerque, NM?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Albuquerque, NM best. The market produces steady results for that approach at the $293K price point.

Does house hacking work in Albuquerque, NM?

House hacking in Albuquerque, NM is a challenging. With home values around $293K and rents at $1,671/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

What are rental rates like in Albuquerque, NM?

Expect rents around $1,671/mo per month in Albuquerque, NM. With home values at $293K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

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How 87121 ranks in Albuquerque, NM

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