Market report · SC

Columbia, SC

Balanced's market

Cash-flow-friendly fundamentals: 7.6% gross rent yield and 56% of sales closing below list make Columbia a steady BRRRR and rental market.

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

$230k
Typical home value
↑8.8%
+1.4%
YoY change
$1,458
Median rent
↑12.0%
7.61%
Gross yield
20
Median DOM
72/100
MDR score
Detail Value Detail Value
Median list price $256,117 Median sale price $230,650
Sale-to-list ratio 0.990 % sold below list +56.2%
Active inventory 1,189 New listings 384
Trends · 36-month series

How Columbia has moved.

Typical home value $211k → $230k · ↑8.8% (36mo)
$211k $218k $224k $230k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median rent (ZORI) $1k → $1k · ↑12.0% (36mo)
$1k $1k $1k $1k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median days on market 29d → 20d · ↓31.4% (36mo)
20d 23d 26d 29d Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26
Sale-to-list ratio 0.985 → 0.990 · ↑0.5% (36mo)
0.985 0.987 0.989 0.990 Jan 26Feb 26Mar 26

Columbia sits at a median home value of $229,993 as of the latest Zillow read, essentially flat year-over-year, which historically is the most workable environment for disciplined wholesalers.

The sale-to-list ratio of 0.990 signals a balanced market — neither bid wars nor fire sales dominate. 56.2% of closings land below list, leaving room to negotiate on the right deal but no broad discount across the board.

Rents tell a stronger story. The Zillow Observed Rent Index for Columbia is $1,458/mo against a $230k median — that’s a 7.61% 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 20 days against 1,188.667 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 Columbia is 72/100 based on rent yield, sale-to-list discount, motivated-seller proxies, and DOM. Solid mid-tier. A disciplined operator can build a real book here; a tourist will get hurt.

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FAQ

Columbia for investors.

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

Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for Columbia is 72/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. Columbia is a solid mid-tier market — workable for disciplined operators but not a top-of-list pick.

What is the median home price in Columbia?

The typical home value in Columbia as of the most recent Zillow read is $229,993. Median list price is $256,117 and median sale price is $230,650. Year-over-year change: +1.4%.

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

Zillow's Observed Rent Index for Columbia is $1,458/mo. Against the typical home value of $230k, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 7.61% — above the national 4-5% baseline, supportive of BRRRR and long-term rental strategies.

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

Columbia's current sale-to-list ratio is 0.990 with 56.2% of homes closing below list. That's a balanced market — neither side dominates. Median days on market: 20 days. Active inventory: 1,189 listings.

Which investment strategy works best in Columbia?

Columbia's data favors BRRRR and long-term rentals — strong gross yield with stable to appreciating prices. See the per-strategy breakdowns at /wholesaling/columbia-sc, /brrrr/columbia-sc, and /flipping/columbia-sc.

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