Market report · AL

Birmingham, AL

Buyer's market

Cash-flow-friendly fundamentals: 11.4% gross rent yield and 64% of sales closing below list make Birmingham a steady BRRRR and rental market.

DATA · Zillow Research (via scrape.do) · AS OF APRIL 2026

$137k
Typical home value
↓10.8%
-2.1%
YoY change
$1,303
Median rent
↑5.8%
11.39%
Gross yield
23
Median DOM
83/100
MDR score
Detail Value Detail Value
Median list price $174,650 Median sale price $174,300
Sale-to-list ratio 0.977 % sold below list +64.1%
Active inventory 1,299 New listings 344
Trends · 36-month series

How Birmingham has moved.

Typical home value $154k → $137k · ↓10.8% (36mo)
$137k $143k $149k $155k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median rent (ZORI) $1k → $1k · ↑5.8% (36mo)
$1k $1k $1k $1k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median days on market 43d → 23d · ↓47.3% (36mo)
23d 30d 37d 43d Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26
Sale-to-list ratio 0.971 → 0.977 · ↑0.6% (36mo)
0.971 0.973 0.975 0.977 Jan 26Feb 26Mar 26

Birmingham sits at a median home value of $137,201 as of the latest Zillow read, down 2.1% year-over-year — a meaningful softening that’s putting deal flow back on the table for cash buyers.

The sale-to-list ratio sits at 0.977, and 64.1% of closed sales are landing below list. That’s a clear buyer’s market — sellers are negotiating, and motivated-seller direct mail is converting at rates we haven’t seen since 2014.

Rents tell a stronger story. The Zillow Observed Rent Index for Birmingham is $1,303/mo against a $137k median — that’s a 11.39% gross annual rent yield, well above the national 4-5% baseline. BRRRR and long-term rental strategies have real cushion here.

Median days-on-market is running around 23 days against 1,299 active listings — that’s a fast-moving market. Speed is the moat; pre-arranged proof of funds and a tight buyers list are the difference between getting under contract and getting outbid.

MDR’s composite investor score for Birmingham is 83/100 based on rent yield, sale-to-list discount, motivated-seller proxies, and DOM. That puts it in our top tier — actively recommended for new capital deployment this cycle.

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FAQ

Birmingham for investors.

Is Birmingham a good market for real estate investors in 2026?

Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for Birmingham is 83/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. That puts Birmingham in our top tier — actively recommended for new capital deployment this cycle.

What is the median home price in Birmingham?

The typical home value in Birmingham as of the most recent Zillow read is $137,201. Median list price is $174,650 and median sale price is $174,300. Year-over-year change: -2.1%.

What can a landlord expect to rent a property for in Birmingham?

Zillow's Observed Rent Index for Birmingham is $1,303/mo. Against the typical home value of $137k, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 11.39% — above the national 4-5% baseline, supportive of BRRRR and long-term rental strategies.

Is Birmingham a buyer's or seller's market?

Birmingham's current sale-to-list ratio is 0.977 with 64.1% of homes closing below list. That's a clear buyer's market — sellers are negotiating. Median days on market: 23 days. Active inventory: 1,299 listings.

Which investment strategy works best in Birmingham?

Birmingham's data favors a mixed approach — no single strategy dominates, so selective deal sourcing wins. See the per-strategy breakdowns at /wholesaling/birmingham, /brrrr/birmingham, and /flipping/birmingham.

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