1st Advantage MortgageIn New Braunfels, TX, rental investors qualify on the property's rent instead of personal income. The market data behind that: $1,654 median rent, $339,400 median home value and 35% of households renting.
New Braunfels rents, values and tenants
Citywide, New Braunfels renters pay a median $1,654 in gross rent (rent plus utilities), about 18% above the Texas median of $1,403, and owner-occupied homes have a median value of $339,400, about 20% above the Texas median of $283,800. Dividing a year of median rent by the median home value gives a gross rent-to-value ratio of 5.8%, neither especially thin nor especially rich. It mixes apartments and houses, so treat it as a compass and not as the number for any one property.
| Indicator | Texas | New Braunfels | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax as a share of home value | 1.49% | 1.33% | -11% |
| Household income, median | $78,476 | $86,021 | +10% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $283,800 | $339,400 | +20% |
| Typical monthly rent | $1,403 | $1,654 | +18% |
| Persons per household | 2.69 | 2.52 | |
| Share of homes detached | 64.4% | 68.4% | +6% |
| Long commuters, 45 min plus | 16.9% | 19.5% | +15% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 33.8% | 38.6% | +14% |
| Workers on their own account | 10.5% | 11.2% | +7% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 51.7% | 51.8% | +0% |
| Units sitting vacant | 9.4% | 7.9% | -15% |
| Typical construction year | 1992 | 2006 | |
| Annual rent divided by value | 5.9% | 5.8% | -1% |
| Households that rent | 37.4% | 34.7% | -7% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 30,188,424 | 104,643 |
The renter share is 34.7% in New Braunfels, close to the Texas median of 37%, a sizable rental market. Median household income is $86,021, about 10% above the Texas median of $78,476, and 52% of renter households pay 30 percent or more of income on rent.
Housing stock and vacancy in New Braunfels
With 68% of units detached, New Braunfels is a single-family market first. Investors mostly buy houses, and the rent evidence comes from similar houses nearby. A median construction date of 2006 points to growth-era housing, where HOA leasing limits and new-build rent comparables are the bigger questions.
Vacancy is a quiet driver of rent. 8% of homes are vacant citywide and 6.2% of the rental inventory was listed for rent when the Census surveyed.
What stands out in New Braunfels
New Braunfels's 5.8% yield is workable. Expect most single-family rentals to land near the lender's minimum ratio, so details like taxes after reassessment matter. Newer housing keeps maintenance predictable, which is helpful for out-of-town owners. Renters are 35% of households, which gives investors a real tenant base to market to.
What costs can do to a New Braunfels ratio
Real estate taxes are a line the rent has to cover. The median owner in New Braunfels pays $4,500 a year (close to the Texas median of $4,232), which is about 1.33% of the median home value. Set beside the median rent, the tax alone consumes about 23% of annual rent.
Insurance follows risk. FEMA's National Risk Index lists Comal County as relatively moderate overall, with riverine flooding (relatively high), hail (relatively high) and tornadoes (relatively high) as the main drivers.
| Hazard in Comal County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Winter weather exposure | Relatively High |
| Tornadoes exposure | Relatively High |
| Hail exposure | Relatively High |
| Riverine flooding exposure | Relatively High |
| Social vulnerability score | Relatively Low |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Moderate |
| Composite risk | Relatively Moderate |
In Comal and Guadalupe Counties, as anywhere, the premium is part of PITIA, which means a quote with the roof, age and flood zone of the actual New Braunfels address belongs in your file early.
The ratio in New Braunfels dollars
Take the median rent ($1,654), subtract median taxes spread over twelve months ($375), and you have $1,279 of room at a 1.00 ratio. A lender asking for 1.25 cuts that to $948. Real quotes for the address decide the rest.
Rules a New Braunfels landlord should check
Rental registration, inspection and nightly-stay rules differ by city, and we have not verified New Braunfels's from a municipal source. A short call to the city and Comal and Guadalupe Counties before you make an offer is cheap insurance. Guests who book by the night in New Braunfels are taxed under state law as follows. Texas imposes a state hotel occupancy tax on rentals of 29 days or less, collected by the owner unless a booking platform collects for the owner, and cities, counties and special districts can add a separate local hotel tax that the owner must register for and remit.
For a New Braunfels lease, the Texas deposit rule is No statutory cap, as set out in Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.103, 92.104, 92.107. Deposits come due back within 30 days of the tenant leaving, and New Braunfels owners should document condition at both ends of the lease. To end a month-to-month tenancy in New Braunfels, the landlord's notice period is 1 month (unless the lease says otherwise).
How New Braunfels stacks up against its neighbors
Set New Braunfels ($339,400 median value) beside its neighbors: San Antonio comes in lowest at $235,700, and Austin tops the group at $555,300.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 57% | $8,024 | $555,300 | 979,539 | $1,729 |
| San Antonio | 48% | $4,122 | $235,700 | 1,479,835 | $1,324 |
| San Marcos | 69% | $4,774 | $310,400 | 70,897 | $1,322 |
| New Braunfels | 35% | $4,500 | $339,400 | 104,643 | $1,654 |
Tenants, jobs and anchors in New Braunfels
Self-employed workers, incorporated or not, make up 11.2% of employed residents, a group that often has irregular tax-return income and a natural fit with rent-based qualification. Three more data points: government workers are about 15% of employment, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 19% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
New Braunfels's principal employers are given as Comal Independent School District, Schlitterbahn, Walmart Distribution Center, TaskUs and New Braunfels Independent School District. Rental demand follows jobs, so a property within an easy commute of one of them has a natural tenant pool.
Putting a New Braunfels file together
Before you offer on a New Braunfels property, test the ratio in the calculator, then apply now or request a DSCR quote.
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Sources and data notes
- For nightly stays in New Braunfels: Hotel tax FAQ for short-term rentals
- Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020 to 2024 tables
- FEMA hazard ratings for Comal and Guadalupe Counties
- Background reading: New Braunfels, Texas
- Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.103, 92.104, 92.107, the Texas deposit law
- Lodging tax reference: Texas Comptroller, hotel occupancy tax
New Braunfels's figures are ACS estimates covering 2020 to 2024 and are not exact counts. Deposit and notice summaries come from RedFlagLease (CC BY 4.0) and the linked Texas sections. Our check date is October 2026, so look for newer New Braunfels rules before you commit.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
What rent number goes into a New Braunfels, TX DSCR calculation?
The property's own rent evidence decides: a lease, or the market rent from the appraisal. Citywide, New Braunfels renters report a median of $1,654.
Do taxes and insurance count in the New Braunfels DSCR ratio?
Taxes, insurance and dues are inside the payment the lender tests. Run $1,654 through a 1.25 ratio and the ceiling is about $1,323; subtract $375 for median taxes and $948 remains.
What tax bill should I expect on a New Braunfels rental?
Median taxes paid are $4,500 a year, or 1.33% of median value, compared with 1.49% statewide. Ask Comal and Guadalupe Counties's tax office what the bill becomes after your sale.
What about VRBO or Airbnb income on a New Braunfels purchase?
Where lender guidelines allow it, yes, with platform history or a market projection. First confirm that New Braunfels and any HOA permit stays under 30 days, and that you can register for Texas lodging tax.
What deposit rules apply to a TX rental?
Limit: No statutory cap. Return: 30 days. Statute: Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.103, 92.104, 92.107. Confirm current text before you rely on it.
Does hazard risk affect a New Braunfels DSCR loan?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural hazard risk as relatively moderate. That is a county-level view, so check the FEMA flood map and an insurance quote for the exact New Braunfels address.
Can a company be the borrower on a New Braunfels purchase?
Many New Braunfels investors do, though no rule forces it. The loan is secured by the property either way, and the lender will check who controls the company.