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Investment Properties for Sale in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City sits in a rare spot for rental investors: a state capital with a diversified economy, a major research university, an international airport 15 minutes from downtown, and a population that has grown faster than the housing supply for most of the past fifteen years. That mismatch shows up directly in the rent roll. Vacancy in the city core typically runs under 5%, and well-located single-family rentals in neighborhoods like Sugar House, the Avenues, Liberty Wells, and 9th & 9th rarely sit empty more than a couple of weeks between tenants. Investors tend to focus on three plays here — long-term single-family rentals on the East Bench and benches above the U, small multifamily (legal duplexes and triplexes) in the older grid south and west of downtown, and value-add bungalows in Rose Park, Glendale, and Poplar Grove where purchase prices are still well under the citywide median.
Before writing an offer, pay attention to a few Salt Lake City specifics: the city's short-term rental ordinance is strict outside designated zones, ADU rules now allow accessory units on most residential lots, and non-owner-occupied homes lose the 45% primary-residence property tax exemption — which can swing pro formas by several hundred dollars a month. Older homes in the Avenues and Capitol Hill often need seismic, sewer, and electrical updates that aren't obvious at a showing. Browse the active investment listings below to see what's currently on the market, and reach out if you want rent comps or a quick cash-flow sanity check on a specific address.
May 2026 · Salt Lake City market
Live from the Utah MLS — what's actually happening in Salt Lake City right now.
Median sale
$577,450
270 closed in May 2026
Median DOM
7 days
listing → contract
Sale-to-list
99.3%
of final list price
Unsold inventory
754
active + pending
191 matching · page 1 of 8
Active listings
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Common questions
About investment properties in Salt Lake City.
Which Salt Lake City neighborhoods make the most sense for rental investors? ▾
Sugar House, Central Ninth, Liberty Wells, and Rose Park all see strong tenant demand for different reasons. Sugar House and the 9th & 9th area attract young professionals willing to pay a premium for walkability, while Rose Park and Glendale offer lower entry prices and solid cash-on-cash returns. The University of Utah catchment around Foothill and East Bench stays full year-round with grad students and medical residents.
Can I run a short-term rental in Salt Lake City? ▾
Salt Lake City restricts rentals under 30 days in most residential zones, and the city has stepped up enforcement in recent years. STRs are generally only allowed in specific commercial or mixed-use zones, so if Airbnb income is part of your model, verify zoning with the city before writing an offer. Mid-term furnished rentals (30+ days) targeting traveling nurses at the U of U hospital are a common workaround.
What kind of rents and cap rates should I expect? ▾
A typical single-family home in the city rents for roughly $2,000–$3,200 depending on size and neighborhood, and a legal duplex can pull $3,500–$5,500 combined. Cap rates in Salt Lake City generally land in the 4.5%–6% range on stabilized properties — lower than rural Utah, but the appreciation history and vacancy rates (usually under 5%) make up the difference for long-hold investors.
Are basement apartments and ADUs legal in Salt Lake City? ▾
Yes. Salt Lake City passed citywide ADU legislation that allows internal, attached, and detached accessory units on most residential lots, subject to permitting and owner-occupancy rules in some cases. Many older homes in Avenues, Sugar House, and Yalecrest already have non-conforming basement apartments — confirm legal status through city records before pricing one as a true duplex.
What's driving long-term rental demand here? ▾
The University of Utah, Intermountain Health, the downtown tech corridor, and a steady influx from higher-cost West Coast markets keep the renter pool deep. Salt Lake's population has grown roughly 1% annually while housing starts have lagged, which is why rent growth outpaced the national average for most of the last decade.
How are property taxes and insurance on Salt Lake City investment properties? ▾
Utah taxes non-owner-occupied homes at the full assessed rate rather than the 45% primary-residence reduction, so expect roughly 1.1%–1.4% of assessed value annually on a rental — meaningfully higher than on a personal residence. Insurance is reasonable by national standards, though earthquake coverage is an extra line item most investors choose to carry given the Wasatch Fault.