Market report · IN

Fort Wayne, IN

Balanced's market

Cash-flow-friendly fundamentals: 6.0% gross rent yield and 64% of sales closing below list make Fort Wayne a steady BRRRR and rental market.

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

$246k
Typical home value
↑14.2%
+2.5%
YoY change
$1,232
Median rent
↑14.1%
6.01%
Gross yield
14
Median DOM
70/100
MDR score
Detail Value Detail Value
Median list price $255,767 Median sale price $235,984
Sale-to-list ratio 0.983 % sold below list +63.6%
Active inventory 872 New listings 355
Trends · 36-month series

How Fort Wayne has moved.

Typical home value $215k → $246k · ↑14.2% (36mo)
$215k $226k $236k $246k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median rent (ZORI) $1k → $1k · ↑14.1% (36mo)
$1k $1k $1k $1k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median days on market 32d → 14d · ↓57.3% (36mo)
14d 20d 26d 32d Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26
Sale-to-list ratio 0.984 → 0.983 · ↓0.1% (36mo)
0.983 0.983 0.983 0.984 Jan 26Feb 26Mar 26

Fort Wayne sits at a median home value of $245,993 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 0.983 signals a balanced market — neither bid wars nor fire sales dominate. 63.6% 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 Fort Wayne is $1,232/mo against a $246k median — that’s a 6.01% 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 14 days against 872.333 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 Fort Wayne is 70/100 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.

Advertisement
Ad slot: city_mid
FAQ

Fort Wayne for investors.

Is Fort Wayne a good market for real estate investors in 2026?

Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for Fort Wayne is 70/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. Fort Wayne is a solid mid-tier market — workable for disciplined operators but not a top-of-list pick.

What is the median home price in Fort Wayne?

The typical home value in Fort Wayne as of the most recent Zillow read is $245,993. Median list price is $255,767 and median sale price is $235,984. Year-over-year change: +2.5%.

What can a landlord expect to rent a property for in Fort Wayne?

Zillow's Observed Rent Index for Fort Wayne is $1,232/mo. Against the typical home value of $246k, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 6.01% — above the national 4-5% baseline, supportive of BRRRR and long-term rental strategies.

Is Fort Wayne a buyer's or seller's market?

Fort Wayne's current sale-to-list ratio is 0.983 with 63.6% of homes closing below list. That's a balanced market — neither side dominates. Median days on market: 14 days. Active inventory: 872 listings.

Which investment strategy works best in Fort Wayne?

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

The newsletter

The Weekly Deal Memo

One market memo, one off-market playbook, one tool review. Every Friday. Free.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.