Macomb County presents a yield-versus-liquidity tension: measured market asking rent of $1,412 against Zillow’s $274,889 median home value produces the supplied 6.16% gross yield before operating costs, but visible listing conditions call for restraint. Cash-flow screens merit investigation; buyers relying on rapid resale or narrow expense margins should be cautious. In Zillow’s county observation, value rose 2.54% and asking rent 2.97% year over year. FHFA’s separate annual repeat-transaction HPI rose 4.06%; it supports positive price direction, but is neither a home value nor a rate to combine with Zillow.
The published market asking rent sits near the HUD two-bedroom FMR, but FMR is a payment standard rather than an asking-rent estimate. The stated gross yield is based on measured market rent before vacancy, management, maintenance, insurance, financing and taxes. An effective property-tax rate of 1.4% and median annual tax of $3,404 make parcel tax review central; county medians cannot establish a specific asset’s carrying cost or net yield.
Realtor.com’s MLS market shows 1,892 active listings, up 15.86%, while its median listing price fell 1.65%. These are asking-price and visible-supply measures, not closed-sale prices or proof of buyer demand. Tax-return migration was -382, and entrant AGI of $55,365 trailed leaver AGI of $63,809, a composition caution rather than a renter-demand finding. Investors accounted for 656 of 10,012 purchase mortgages, or 6.55%, indicating participation but not control of buyer competition. QCEW annual covered jobs at county workplaces declined 1.45%; Trade, transportation, and utilities is the largest disclosed private supersector, not the whole economy or resident labor market.
Modeled climate loss equals 0.11% of building value annually, consistent with inland flood as the dominant hazard; it is modeled loss, not a site-specific flood determination. Missing property-level flood zone, insurance quotes, condition, assessments and tax bill prevent a defensible net-income result. Missing closed-sale comparables, lease concessions, vacancy and renter turnover also prevent confirmation that MLS supply or migration translates into achievable rent. Those items are needed before county evidence can support asset-level underwriting.