Grady County is a verification case, not a simple appreciation call, for buyers relying on price momentum. Zillow’s county median home value was $195,496 in 2026-06, up 5.01% year over year, while FHFA’s 2025 annual repeat-transaction HPI rose 0.15%. FHFA is an index rather than a dollar home value, and its differently dated, differently constructed result cannot be combined with Zillow’s change into one growth rate. The split calls for recent closed-sale validation before underwriting appreciation.
Income underwriting has a hard gap: no county market asking rent is published, so gross yield cannot be calculated. HUD’s two-bedroom FMR is $973 per month, but it is a payment standard rather than an estimate of market rent and cannot fill that gap. The 0.91% effective property-tax rate identifies a carrying-cost line item, not a parcel-specific bill. Verify lease comparables, tax assessments, insurance, and operating expenses before judging cash flow.
MLS listing evidence is mixed rather than a clean demand signal. Realtor.com’s median MLS listing price rose 30.72%, but it is an asking price, not a closed sale. Median marketing time was 100 days and 26.45% of listings had a price reduction. Pending listings measure contract activity relative to active supply, but neither that measure nor listing prices proves buyer demand. Inventory declined, yet the long marketing time and reductions require deal-level comparable and concession review.
Demand support is limited at county resolution. QCEW annual covered workplace employment fell 1.10%; it is neither resident employment nor an unemployment measure. Trade, transportation, and utilities was the largest disclosed private supersector, not the whole economy. Net tax-return migration was 15 households, and in-movers reported higher average income than out-movers; that modest flow does not establish tenant demand. Investor participation was 7.56% of 172 purchases, so competition exists but is not dominant in this record. Inland flood is the dominant hazard; modeled expected annual building-value loss is 0.16%. Confirm flood zone, insurance quotes, condition, vacancy, rents, and closed sales before setting resale or income underwriting.