Investor-friendly real estate agents in Lexington, KY
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Get matched in LexingtonVetted investor agents across the Lexington metro
Lexington is a steady, mid-sized metro where prices and rents are both still climbing. Typical home values in the metro are about $325,000, a record, and typical rent about $1,600, roughly 0.49% a month. That won't cash flow at the median price with a mortgage at today's rates. Rents rose about 4% in the past year, a bit faster than home values. Jobs are up about 8% since 2019, but slightly more Americans have moved out than in every year since 2021. Lexington-Fayette has adopted Kentucky's uniform landlord-tenant act, and it licenses short-term rentals, with a hearing for unhosted ones in residential zones. Our vetted agent partners are a senior commercial and multifamily broker and a Lexington-based agent with short-sale and foreclosure training.
Multifamily and commercial investment sales from a senior commercial broker who covers Lexington along with Louisville, Richmond and Bowling Green.
Buy-side representation across Lexington and Central Kentucky from an agent with the SFR (short sales and foreclosures) and ABR (buyer representation) designations.
Is Lexington worth investing in? The long-term trends
People, jobs, rents and prices for the Lexington metro, straight from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Zillow. Hover or tap a chart for exact values.
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 473,347 |
| 2011 | 478,608 |
| 2012 | 484,651 |
| 2013 | 490,056 |
| 2014 | 494,029 |
| 2015 | 500,115 |
| 2016 | 504,058 |
| 2017 | 509,747 |
| 2018 | 512,534 |
| 2019 | 514,782 |
| 2020 | 517,431 |
| 2021 | 516,769 |
| 2022 | 519,473 |
| 2023 | 524,584 |
| 2024 | 530,816 |
| 2025 | 535,174 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2011 | +1,513 |
| 2012 | +1,882 |
| 2013 | +1,188 |
| 2014 | +633 |
| 2015 | +2,567 |
| 2016 | +58 |
| 2017 | +2,618 |
| 2018 | +891 |
| 2019 | +137 |
| 2020 | +575 |
| 2021 | -1,883 |
| 2022 | -59 |
| 2023 | -594 |
| 2024 | -626 |
| 2025 | -488 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 242,000 |
| 2011 | 245,000 |
| 2012 | 249,800 |
| 2013 | 256,200 |
| 2014 | 263,400 |
| 2015 | 270,500 |
| 2016 | 274,700 |
| 2017 | 277,400 |
| 2018 | 276,400 |
| 2019 | 279,000 |
| 2020 | 265,200 |
| 2021 | 273,200 |
| 2022 | 285,700 |
| 2023 | 295,600 |
| 2024 | 300,100 |
| 2025 | 301,900 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | $889/mo |
| Dec 2016 | $928/mo |
| Dec 2017 | $958/mo |
| Dec 2018 | $988/mo |
| Dec 2019 | $1,015/mo |
| Dec 2020 | $1,064/mo |
| Dec 2021 | $1,197/mo |
| Dec 2022 | $1,301/mo |
| Dec 2023 | $1,384/mo |
| Dec 2024 | $1,467/mo |
| Dec 2025 | $1,546/mo |
| Sep 2026 | $1,599/mo |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | $155,219 |
| Dec 2011 | $150,686 |
| Dec 2012 | $151,801 |
| Dec 2013 | $154,660 |
| Dec 2014 | $157,662 |
| Dec 2015 | $163,867 |
| Dec 2016 | $172,842 |
| Dec 2017 | $184,453 |
| Dec 2018 | $192,737 |
| Dec 2019 | $201,822 |
| Dec 2020 | $222,426 |
| Dec 2021 | $248,620 |
| Dec 2022 | $274,577 |
| Dec 2023 | $292,977 |
| Dec 2024 | $306,967 |
| Dec 2025 | $318,403 |
| Sep 2026 | $324,999 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | 15.4× |
| Dec 2016 | 15.5× |
| Dec 2017 | 16.0× |
| Dec 2018 | 16.3× |
| Dec 2019 | 16.6× |
| Dec 2020 | 17.4× |
| Dec 2021 | 17.3× |
| Dec 2022 | 17.6× |
| Dec 2023 | 17.6× |
| Dec 2024 | 17.4× |
| Dec 2025 | 17.2× |
| Sep 2026 | 16.9× |
Data retrieved October 16, 2026. Figures cover the Lexington metro area.
The numbers and rules that matter in Lexington
Zillow Home Value Index, Lexington metro, Sep 2026 (+3.3% YoY).
Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types, Sep 2026 (+3.8% YoY). Single-family 3-beds rent higher.
Typical rent ÷ typical home value. Well under the 1% rule; plan on cash flow from buying right, not from rents.
Over the past year: home values +3.3%, rents +3.8%.
Kentucky landlord-tenant basics
Kentucky's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA, KRS 383.500 to 383.715) applies only where a city or county has adopted it. Lexington-Fayette has. The surrounding counties each decide for themselves, so check for properties outside Fayette County. In Lexington:
- Security deposit: no statutory cap. Hold it in a separate account used only for deposits and tell the tenant where it is (KRS 383.580).
- Nonpayment: give a 7-day written notice to pay or the lease ends, then file a forcible detainer case in Fayette District Court (KRS 383.660).
- Entry: at least 2 days' notice, at reasonable times, except in an emergency (KRS 383.615).
- No rent control: state law (KRS 65.875) bars cities and counties from regulating private rents. Since 2024 (HB 18), they also can't require landlords to accept housing vouchers.
- Squatters: since 2025 (HB 10), an owner can ask law enforcement to remove someone occupying a property with no right to be there, without a full eviction case. It doesn't apply to tenants.
- Lawmakers have filed bills to make URLTA apply statewide, including in 2026. As of October 2026 we found none that passed, so local adoption still decides which rules apply.
Short-term rental rules in Lexington
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government updated its short-term rental rules in July 2023 and added rules for the rural service area in December 2024. The rules turn on whether the rental is hosted (a primary resident lives on the property while guests stay) or unhosted.
- Every STR operator needs a Zoning Compliance Permit from the Division of Planning, a business license, and a Special Fees License, renewed each year. The city lists $200 for the first unit and $100 for each additional one, and fines of up to $500 a day for operating without a license.
- Unhosted (investor) STRs in residential zones go through a conditional use permit from the Board of Adjustment, with a public hearing and notice to neighbors. Recent hearing notices show these in R-2 and R-3 zones.
- In Fayette County's rural service area, every STR needs a conditional use permit, and the rules mostly allow hosted rentals.
- The city has been reviewing its STR rules. Check for changes before you buy.
- Stays under 30 days owe Kentucky's 1% state transient room tax and 6% sales tax, plus local room taxes; ask the city's Division of Revenue what applies. Airbnb and Vrbo collect the state room tax for their hosts.
- In 2026 a state bill (SB 112) would have barred local STR permits and density limits. It stalled in committee, so the city's rules still apply. HOA covenants can ban STRs regardless.
Last reviewed October 16, 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice — rules and fees change, so confirm with the city, the statute, or your attorney before you rely on them. Sources: Zillow Research data (ZHVI, ZORI) — Lexington metro; KRS 383.500 — Local adoption of URLTA; Kentucky General Assembly — HB 550 (2018) local mandate statement (counties that adopted URLTA); Kentucky Equal Justice Center — Places that have adopted URLTA; KRS 383.580 — Security deposits; KRS 383.615 — Landlord access; KRS 383.660 — Nonpayment notice (URLTA); KRS 65.875 — Local rent control prohibited; Kentucky HB 18 (2024) — Housing vouchers; Kentucky HB 10 (2025) — Removal of unlawful occupants; Kentucky HB 603 (2026) — Statewide URLTA amendment; Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government — Short-term rentals; LFUCG — Short-term rentals: licensure requirements and permitting; LFUCG — Board of Adjustment legal advertisements; LFUCG — Short-term rental regulation review; Kentucky Department of Revenue — Transient Room Tax; Kentucky SB 112 (2026) — Short-term rentals.
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About 30 minutes south on I-75: a smaller, faster-growing college town covered by the same agents.
About 1 hour 15 minutes west on I-64: Kentucky's biggest metro, also under URLTA.
About 1 hour 15 minutes north on I-75, including Northern Kentucky under Kentucky law.
Questions investors ask about Lexington
Which areas do your Lexington agents cover?
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Our vetted agent partners cover Lexington, Fayette County and the rest of Central Kentucky, including Richmond. One is a senior commercial and multifamily broker who also covers Louisville; the other is a Lexington-based agent with short-sale and foreclosure training. Tell us your strategy, budget and target area and we'll match you.
Is Lexington a good market for cash-flowing rentals?
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Not at median prices with a mortgage. Typical rent in the Lexington metro is about 0.49% of home value per month, well under the 1% rule. Rents have grown nearly as fast as prices, which helps over time. To make the numbers work today, buy below median, look at small multifamily, or buy distressed.
Can I run an Airbnb in Lexington?
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Yes, with a zoning compliance permit, a business license and an annual Special Fees License. If you won't live on the property and it's in a residential zone, expect a conditional use hearing before the Board of Adjustment. Rural properties need a conditional use permit regardless. Check HOA rules too.
Is Kentucky landlord-friendly?
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Mostly. There's no deposit cap, cities can't impose rent control or require landlords to take housing vouchers, and in Lexington nonpayment starts with a 7-day notice under the state's uniform landlord-tenant act, which Lexington-Fayette has adopted. Rules in surrounding counties depend on whether they've adopted it.
Can I invest in Lexington if I live out of state?
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Yes. Pick an agent who walks properties for you, knows which areas rent to University of Kentucky students and which to families, attends inspections, and connects you with contractors and a property manager.
What does it cost to get matched with a Lexington agent?
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Nothing. Agents Invest is free for investors. The agent pays us a referral fee only if you close a deal with them.
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