Investor-friendly real estate agents in Tacoma, WA
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Tacoma is the Pierce County seat, about 30 miles south of Seattle, with the Port of Tacoma and Joint Base Lewis-McChord nearby. It's cheaper than Seattle, but it's part of the same metro, and at metro prices a rental with a mortgage doesn't cash flow. Washington isn't a landlord-friendly state, and Tacoma adds its own rules: 180 days' notice for rent increases and relocation payments when rent goes up 5% or more. What Tacoma does have is older neighborhoods with duplexes and small multifamily, and room to add units under Washington's middle-housing and ADU laws. Our four vetted partners here cover Tacoma, Puyallup and Pierce County, and three of them list multifamily as expertise.
Duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings, from three partners who list multifamily as expertise, including a Tacoma native with 21 years in the business.
Live in one unit and rent the rest, or live in a home while you fix it up, from a partner who has done both herself.
Two partners list STRs as expertise. Inside Tacoma, an STR on a lot with an ADU needs the owner living on site.
Replacement-property searches on a 1031 timeline, often trading out of pricier Seattle and Eastside properties, and remote buying for investors who live elsewhere.
Is Tacoma worth investing in? The long-term trends
People, jobs, rents and prices for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 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 | 3,449,548 |
| 2011 | 3,505,338 |
| 2012 | 3,561,452 |
| 2013 | 3,616,100 |
| 2014 | 3,680,038 |
| 2015 | 3,745,754 |
| 2016 | 3,824,567 |
| 2017 | 3,894,392 |
| 2018 | 3,943,900 |
| 2019 | 3,984,908 |
| 2020 | 4,027,814 |
| 2021 | 4,017,597 |
| 2022 | 4,034,138 |
| 2023 | 4,062,857 |
| 2024 | 4,118,815 |
| 2025 | 4,161,883 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2011 | +16,258 |
| 2012 | +14,650 |
| 2013 | +15,181 |
| 2014 | +15,124 |
| 2015 | +15,627 |
| 2016 | +30,672 |
| 2017 | +20,889 |
| 2018 | +7,004 |
| 2019 | +2,238 |
| 2020 | +9,447 |
| 2021 | -36,942 |
| 2022 | -23,229 |
| 2023 | -26,640 |
| 2024 | -11,796 |
| 2025 | -8,422 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,666,700 |
| 2011 | 1,693,700 |
| 2012 | 1,733,400 |
| 2013 | 1,781,000 |
| 2014 | 1,831,200 |
| 2015 | 1,888,000 |
| 2016 | 1,949,300 |
| 2017 | 1,997,300 |
| 2018 | 2,043,700 |
| 2019 | 2,089,700 |
| 2020 | 1,973,400 |
| 2021 | 2,009,900 |
| 2022 | 2,098,500 |
| 2023 | 2,115,700 |
| 2024 | 2,124,600 |
| 2025 | 2,125,000 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | $1,407/mo |
| Dec 2016 | $1,507/mo |
| Dec 2017 | $1,604/mo |
| Dec 2018 | $1,664/mo |
| Dec 2019 | $1,743/mo |
| Dec 2020 | $1,684/mo |
| Dec 2021 | $1,933/mo |
| Dec 2022 | $2,020/mo |
| Dec 2023 | $2,061/mo |
| Dec 2024 | $2,128/mo |
| Dec 2025 | $2,183/mo |
| Sep 2026 | $2,250/mo |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | $300,186 |
| Dec 2011 | $268,212 |
| Dec 2012 | $268,231 |
| Dec 2013 | $304,151 |
| Dec 2014 | $325,232 |
| Dec 2015 | $364,691 |
| Dec 2016 | $406,757 |
| Dec 2017 | $460,422 |
| Dec 2018 | $497,940 |
| Dec 2019 | $507,871 |
| Dec 2020 | $570,617 |
| Dec 2021 | $667,936 |
| Dec 2022 | $705,954 |
| Dec 2023 | $712,293 |
| Dec 2024 | $748,921 |
| Dec 2025 | $739,213 |
| Sep 2026 | $720,147 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | 21.6× |
| Dec 2016 | 22.5× |
| Dec 2017 | 23.9× |
| Dec 2018 | 24.9× |
| Dec 2019 | 24.3× |
| Dec 2020 | 28.2× |
| Dec 2021 | 28.8× |
| Dec 2022 | 29.1× |
| Dec 2023 | 28.8× |
| Dec 2024 | 29.3× |
| Dec 2025 | 28.2× |
| Sep 2026 | 26.7× |
Data retrieved October 16, 2026. Figures cover the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area.
The numbers and rules that matter in Tacoma
Zillow Home Value Index, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro, Sep 2026 (−1.6% YoY).
Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types, Sep 2026 (+1.8% 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 −1.6%, rents +1.8%.
House hack a small multifamily
Tacoma's older neighborhoods include duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. Living in one unit lets you buy with an owner-occupant loan and a smaller down payment, and the other units' rent covers part of the mortgage. Two of our partners have house hacked or done live-in flips themselves.
Washington's HB 1110 (2023, RCW 36.70A.635) also requires cities of 75,000 or more, Tacoma included, to allow at least four units per lot on lots zoned predominantly residential (six near major transit or with affordable units). HB 1337 (RCW 36.70A.681) requires two ADUs per lot with no owner-occupancy rule for long-term rentals.
Why it matters here: a Tacoma lot that can take another unit spreads one purchase price across more rents. Investors look for larger lots with alley access, utilities close by, and transit corridors where higher unit counts may apply.
- Tacoma's rental rules apply to every unit you rent: a city business license, 180 days' notice on a city form for any rent increase, and relocation payments when rent goes up 5% or more. Underwrite rent growth conservatively.
- Parts of the Puyallup valley sit in Mount Rainier lahar hazard zones. Check hazard maps and insurance before you buy there.
- What a specific lot allows is set by Tacoma's adopted code. Confirm zoning, setbacks and utilities with Tacoma Planning and Development Services before you're under contract.
Washington and Tacoma landlord-tenant basics
Rentals in Tacoma fall under Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18), which leans toward tenants and caps rent increases statewide. Tacoma's Rental Housing Code (TMC 1.95) and Landlord Fairness Code (TMC 1.100) add more. What investors ask about most:
- Rent increase cap (HB 1217): at most 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is lower, in any 12 months. The cap is 9.683% for 2026 and 10% for 2027. You can't raise rent in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Buildings under 12 years old and some 2–4 unit properties where the owner lives in one unit are exempt. The Department of Commerce publishes each year's cap.
- Tacoma notice: since January 1, 2026, rent increases need 180 days' notice on a city form that describes the relocation assistance program.
- Tacoma relocation assistance: if rent goes up 5% or more, the tenant can ask for a relocation payment of two to three times the monthly rent, depending on the size of the increase. You have 30 days to pay once asked.
- Business license: Tacoma requires a city business license for rental property, and you register each rental when you license. A landlord without one can't serve a rent increase or notice to vacate.
- Unpaid rent: serve a 14-day notice to pay or vacate, in the form the statute sets out, before you file an eviction. Lockouts and shutting off utilities to force a tenant out are illegal.
- Deposits: within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out, refund the deposit or send a full, specific written statement of why you kept any of it. Miss the deadline and you can lose the right to keep any of it.
- Entry: at least 2 days' written notice for repairs or inspections, and 1 day's notice to show the unit to buyers or renters. Emergencies are the exception.
Short-term rental rules in Tacoma
Tacoma treats short-term rentals mainly as a licensing question. There's no separate city STR permit like Seattle's or Bellingham's, but there are rules to know.
- You need a City of Tacoma business license from the city's Tax and License office before you operate.
- Renting three or more individual rooms also requires a Transient Accommodations License. Renting a whole unit, or one or two rooms in an owner-occupied home, doesn't.
- An ADU can be a short-term rental only if the owner lives on the property, in either the main house or the ADU.
- Short stays owe Washington sales tax and local lodging taxes, and the state's short-term rental law (RCW 64.37) adds requirements such as liability insurance. Confirm which taxes your platform collects for you.
- HOA rules and CC&Rs can still ban STRs. Puyallup, Lakewood, Gig Harbor and unincorporated Pierce County have their own rules.
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) — Seattle metro; U.S. Census Bureau — Metro population estimates, 2020–2025; RCW 36.70A.635 — Middle housing (HB 1110); RCW 36.70A.681 — Accessory dwelling units (HB 1337); RCW 59.18 — Residential Landlord-Tenant Act; RCW 59.12.030 — Unlawful detainer (14-day notice); RCW 59.18.150 — Landlord's right of entry; RCW 59.18.280 — Return of deposit; WA Department of Commerce — HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center; WA Department of Commerce — 9.683% rent cap for 2026; City of Tacoma — Overview of Rental Housing Code and Landlord Fairness Code updates (2026); City of Tacoma — Overview of the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative (TMC 1.100); City of Tacoma — Rental business license; City of Tacoma — Short-term rentals; City of Tacoma — Accessory dwelling units; RCW 64.37 — Short-term rentals (state).
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About 30 miles north, same metro: higher prices and stricter city STR limits.
About 30 miles southwest on I-5: the state capital, its own metro and a bit better rent-to-price.
North end of the same metro, under the same state middle-housing and ADU laws.
Questions investors ask about Tacoma
Who will I work with in Tacoma?
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We have four vetted agent partners covering Tacoma, Puyallup and Pierce County. Three list multifamily as expertise, two are investors themselves, and one is a Tacoma native with 21 years as a Realtor. Between them they handle small multifamily, house hacks, STRs, 1031 exchanges and out-of-area buyers. If none of them fits your deal, we'll tell you upfront.
Is Tacoma a good market for cash-flowing rentals?
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Not at median prices with a mortgage. Rents across the Seattle metro run about 0.31% of home value per month, far from the 1% rule. Tacoma is cheaper than Seattle, but investors here make the numbers work with small multifamily bought right, house hacking, or adding units to a lot.
Can I run an Airbnb in Tacoma?
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Yes. You need a City of Tacoma business license, and renting three or more separate rooms also needs a Transient Accommodations License. An ADU can only be an STR if the owner lives on the property. HOAs can still ban STRs.
Is Tacoma landlord-friendly?
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No. On top of Washington's statewide rent cap, Tacoma requires 180 days' notice for rent increases and a relocation payment of two to three months' rent if a tenant asks after an increase of 5% or more. Budget for those rules and slower rent growth.
Why do the charts show the Seattle metro?
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Tacoma doesn't have its own metro area in Census, BLS or Zillow data. It's part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro, so the population, jobs, rent and home-value trends on this page cover that whole region. Tacoma homes typically sell below the metro-wide figures; ask your agent for Tacoma-specific comps.
Can I invest in Tacoma if I live out of state?
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Yes. One of our partners lists out-of-state buyers as expertise. Pick an agent who will walk properties for you, attend inspections, and connect you with a property manager who knows Tacoma's rental rules.
What does it cost to get matched with a Tacoma 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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