Berkeley County’s tension is a reported 6.37% gross yield before costs versus carrying costs and inland-flood exposure that can overturn a county screen. It warrants parcel-level investigation by long-term rental buyers; buyers relying on low headline costs or broad appreciation should be cautious. In Zillow’s 2026-06 county observation, median home value was $325,983 and median asking rent was $1,731 monthly.
At that Zillow observation, home value rose 4% year over year while market asking rent rose 2.88%, a spread that does not establish future income. FHFA’s annual HPI rose 5.74%; it is a repeat-transaction appreciation index, not a dollar home value. Its annual observation differs in period and method from Zillow’s county observation, so the rates cannot be blended. The 0.53% effective property-tax rate requires asset-specific bill verification. HUD FMR is a payment standard, not market asking rent, and cannot replace published market rent in yield underwriting.
Realtor.com’s MLS listing-market evidence shows active listings down 14.54% year over year; median days on market were 41, and 10.17% of listings had a price reduction. Lower visible supply therefore coexists with longer marketing time and seller concessions; listing indicators are neither closed-sale prices nor proof of buyer demand. Tax-return migration was net positive by 1,265 households, with higher average income among inbound than outbound movers, but this does not establish tenant formation. Nonoccupant purchase mortgages represented 10.24% of the reported 2,774 purchases, signaling some buyer competition rather than a complete measure of purchaser behavior.
Inland flood is dominant, and modeled climate loss equals 0.13% of building value per year; this county model is not a parcel-level loss quote, so it should be tested against flood zone, elevation, claims, insurance and mitigation. QCEW annual covered workplace employment rose 0.11%, with Trade, transportation, and utilities the largest disclosed private supersector; this is not resident employment, unemployment, or a forecast. The record does not publish vacancy, turnover, operating expenses, insurance quotes, debt terms, unit-specific rent, closed-sale prices, or parcel hazard data. Those gaps prevent NOI, debt-coverage, cap-rate, and asset-level flood conclusions.