Garfield County’s decision tension is positive value-index evidence versus a softer visible listing market, with rent and carrying costs deciding the asset-level case. Zillow reports a $719,893 median home value, up 4.10%; its direction is broadly consistent with FHFA’s 4.90% annual gain in the repeat-transaction HPI. Those observations use different methods and supplied periods, so they are not one appreciation rate. Underwriters pricing an acquisition from recent value gains should be cautious; those testing durable rent coverage should investigate unit-level economics.
Measured median asking rent is $2,554 per month and the supplied gross yield is 4.26% before costs. HUD’s two-bedroom FMR of $1,605 is a payment standard, not an asking-rent estimate; it must not replace market rent in the yield calculation. The effective property-tax rate is 0.42%, and median annual property tax is $2,201, but neither county statistic establishes the tax bill on a particular asset. The price-rent-tax combination supports a carrying-cost screen, not a net-income conclusion.
Realtor.com MLS evidence is the near-term counterweight: active listings rose 33.68%, median marketing time was 64 days, and 19.28% of listings had a price reduction. These are visible supply, marketing-time, and seller-concession measures—not closed-sale prices or standalone proof of buyer demand. QCEW shows 27,863 annual average covered jobs at county workplaces, up 0.35%, with a $1,298 average weekly covered-worker wage; Trade, transportation, and utilities is the largest disclosed private supersector, not the whole economy. Tax-return migration was a net inflow of 110, while inbound movers’ average AGI exceeded outbound movers’ by $24,991. Investor purchase mortgages were 53 of 795 purchases, or 6.67%; that quantifies this measure of non-occupant participation, not all buyer competition.
Inland flood is the dominant hazard, and modeled annual climate loss equals 0.18% of building value; county-level modeling cannot identify a parcel’s exposure. Flood-zone status, insurance quote and terms, claims history, elevation, property condition, vacancy and collections, operating expenses, financing, and closed-sale and lease comparables are not published in this record. Their absence prevents a property-level net-yield, debt-coverage, flood-cost, or exit-price conclusion.