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Zillow: Top 10 cities where you should rent out your home

Long-term profit vs. short-term profit

Homeowners are faced with two options when choosing to move up the property ladder: sell the old home or rent it out. According to a new report from Zillow, homeowners might want to think twice before selling if they live in these 10 cities

“When deciding if they should sell their home or rent it out, most mom-and-pop landlords are primarily concerned with whether or not they can cover their mortgage payment each month – they simply can’t absorb monthly losses like professional investors,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries.

“However, the greatest returns are actually in markets like San Jose and San Francisco where there are short-term monthly losses, but the long-term earned equity makes them the best markets to invest in,” Humphries added.

Nationally, the Zillow Rent Index has increased 2.5% since June 2013 and 9.1% since June 2011.

And on a local level, the Zillow Rent Index has gone up as much as two to three times that amount over the past year in rental hotspots such as metro Chicago (6.3%) and San Francisco (11%).

However, the list does vary depending on time, with a different top ten for short-term profit and long-term profit.

Click the next page for the top 10 markets for each: 

Top ten markets for short-term financial gain (short-term monthly profit: This accounts for the difference between rent and mortgage payment on the median home, including property and income taxes, maintenance and vacancy.)

10. Memphis, Tennessee: $242

9. Indianapolis: $251

8. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas: $264

Texas

7. Tampa, Florida: $287 

6. Rochester, New York: $349

NY

5. Denver: $355

4. Cincinnati: $385

3. Tulsa, Oklahoma: $396

2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida: $515

1. Oklahoma City: $536

Top ten markets for long-term financial gain (long-term monthly profit: This includes home equity gains, tax benefits and the difference between monthly rental income and mortgage payments after holding onto the property for six years on the median home. This is only realized after selling) 

10. Honolulu: $2,512

9. Sacramento, California: $2, 694

8. Seattle: $2,861

Washington

7. Boston: $3,009

6. New York: $3,179

5. Riverside, California: $3,659

4. San Diego, California: $4,165

3. Los Angeles: $4,328

California

2. San Francisco: $6,078

1. San Jose, California: $8,927 

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