Deep Dive into Redford Township, MI: A Detroit Ring City

Deep Dive into Redford Township, MI: A Detroit Ring City

Landlords are always asking us: “Where’s the best area to invest in rental properties in Metro Detroit?”

Now, that’s a complicated question to answer.

Because the Detroit area is home to a total of 185 cities and 290 neighborhoods, all of which have their own nuances from block to block that can seriously impact the reality of managing your rental investment.

But we thought, “What the heck–Let’s try!”

So this Deep Dive series is our best attempt at breaking down the complexities of this rental market for out-of-state investors, first-timers, or seasoned local landlords looking for the next untapped rental hotspot to buy into.

Today, we’re delving into Redford Township–a Detroit suburb that’s hugely popular with rental investors.

To get started, we take you on a tour of the neighborhood to show you the amenities and housing stock on offer here:

And if you like what you see, read on for a detailed analysis of all the important factors to consider before investing in Redford, including:

• Sale Trends
• Rents Trends
• Current Properties on the Market
• Tenant Demographics
• Neighborhood Livability
• …and more.

We’ll even tell you exactly which streets to focus on in your property search–so stick around ‘till the end!

Now, let’s Deep Dive into Redford Township.

Overview of Redford Township, Michigan

Redford Township is what we like to call a “Ring City.” It’s just outside of the City of Detroit proper, bordering the Brightmoor and Franklin Park neighborhoods to the northwest of Detroit:

Detroit’s Ring Cities, like Redford and neighboring Dearborn Heights, are the perfect sweet spot for rental investors. 

That’s because Detroit’s real estate market is the reverse of most metropolitan areas (inner city properties = less expensive | suburban properties = more expensive), so it’s ideal to be close to Downtown without actually having a Detroit zip code. 

Redford Twp sits right in this Goldilocks zone, giving you a combination of: 

• Affordable property prices
• High rental demand, and; 
• Fewer of the management issues that are typically associated with Detroit rentals.

Here’s an overview to show you what we mean:

This is a Class B city that people move to and stay–just look at the almost 78% ownership rate here! It also means rentals are in higher demand and harder to find, which spells opportunity for investors. 

Redford is also a strongly residential area. 

If you’re looking for nightlife, you’re better off heading for Dearborn Heights to the south, but Redford is perfect for families and professional commuters who want to be within easy reach of everything. Downtown Detroit, the airport, and trendy Royal Oak are all within a 30 minute drive, since several major roadways (I-275, I-96, Route 24, Route 5) run near or through it.

And, crucially, it’s 43% cheaper to buy property here than in neighboring Livonia. 

Now you can start to see why Redford is so popular with rental investors. 

But let’s take a closer look at the numbers to see what kind of investment potential there is here.

Housing Market Analysis

First, let’s look at property prices and rental trends in Redford Twp over the past few years.

Sale Trends

As of June 2025, the average home value in Redford, MI is $176,411, up from $78,564 in February 2017:

Want more info on specific investment opportunities in Redford Twp, Detroit, or Michigan? Contact us for a free consultation.

Rent Trends

The last time we did a Deep Dive into Redford Twp was 5 years ago, right when Covid was hitting its peak. Although rents had been steadily rising since 2015, the pandemic caused a bit of a price dip, making the average monthly rent $1,050 in 2020. 

Now, it’s $1,500/month.

And, given that the average sale price in Redford was $115,889 in 2020, this means both rents and home values have been healthily increasing here over the past half decade:

Across the City of Detroit, the average rent is just $1,200/month, so this is also a good example of how Ring Cities often have better investment opportunities than Detroit proper.

On that note, let’s look at some of those investment opportunities and run the numbers.

Investment Opportunities in Redford, MI

As of June 2025, there are 107 homes for sale in Redford, but only 23 rentals:

This just goes to show how in-demand rental units are in this area!

Example Investment Properties

Now, let’s compare the types of investment opportunities available here by looking at some actual properties on the market in Redford right now through the lens of a rental investor.

• The Turnkey Rental (Perfect for First-Time Investors)

This is a small 2-bedroom house which a developer has already brought up to turnkey condition:

While there’s no meat on the bone here to add extra value, this 1,000-sq ft home is the perfect starter rental for a first-time landlord or an out-of-state investor who doesn’t have the bandwidth to manage renovations.

Plus, with a Zestimate monthly rent of $1,370, the rent-to-price ratio looks promising for healthy cash flow:

Purchase Price: $137,500 (based on the Zestimate)

Repair Costs: $0

After-Repair Value: $137,500

Rent Zestimate: $1,370

RTP Ratio: 0.99%

Those numbers are so congruous, in fact, we’d bet this developer flipped this property with the specific goal of selling it to a landlord investor. Thus they made sure it fit the 1% rule.

If you want the opportunity to see some substantial equity gains as well as cash flow, though, here’s another option to consider…

• The Fixer-Upper (Perfect for Buy and Hold OR Flippers)

This is a much larger, 3-bedroom home on the north side of Redford, close to 7 Mile, on the market for $130,000:

This home is more than 700 square feet larger than the previous example–-and clearly it needs a bit of work—but the Zestimate is $160,900, with an estimated sales range of $142,000 – $179,000, so doing the renovations here could yield considerable profits.

So if you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and do the work to squeeze maximum value out of this place, here’s what the numbers could look like:

Purchase Price: $130,000

Repair Costs: $20,000

After-Repair Value: $179,000

Rent Zestimate: $1,615

RTP Ratio: 1.08%

Whether you want to flip it for short-term gains or BRRRR (Buy, Renovate, Rent it Out, Refinance, Repeat) for longer-term profits, the numbers work both ways.

Area and Tenant Quality

Now that we’ve looked at the hard data, let’s move on to a more qualitative analysis of what attracts people to live in Redford, including:

 

1. Housing Stock Quality
2. Tenant Quality 
3. Area Development
4. Crime & Safety

 

In general, Redford is a nice place to live, with more than a dozen public parks and a whole host of local activities offered by the city’s Leisure Services, including:

• Kids’ Art Courses
• Soccer Classes
• Pickleball Classes
• Senior Yoga
• Senior Bus Trips
• And more!

 

So as you can see, this is quite a quaint community.

The township is filled with quiet, residential streets, tree-lined sidewalks, and well-maintained houses where you’ll commonly see kids playing basketball in the driveway. 

It’s also solidly Class B and affordable, so Redford will always be popular with tenants, even in the event of an economic downturn.

Housing Stock

Most of the homes in Redford are bungalow style, either made of brick or wood frame, and were built around 1955 (on average).

The housing stock here is also pretty small: around 1,000 square feet, with lots under 5,000 square feet. Which makes it fairly affordable for both investors and tenants, as well as first-time homeowners.

In fact, the homeownership rate in Redford is 77.8%–that’s why there are so many fewer rentals than homes for sale on the market, and why the houses and streets here are generally very well-maintained.

Because of that, most units here don’t need significant repairs. However, if you’re looking for a fixer-upper, keep an eye out for common issues like:

1. Corroded or outdated cast-iron plumbing
2. Asbestos in insulation, tiles, or ductwork
3. Lead-based paint on walls or trim
4. Deteriorated structural supports or framing
5. Insufficient or absent insulation
6. Aging systems: roof, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical

Homes from the 50’s might be hiding issues like these, so always ask your home inspector to check these systems specifically.

Tenant Stock 

Tenants are the most important part of any rental investment.

So, what kind of tenants can you expect in Redford?

Here’s a snapshot:

Based on the general rule of “Rent should = 3x monthly salary”, most Redford residents should be capable of paying rent consistently each month:

• • Average Monthly Household Income: $5,587
  • Average Monthly Rent: $1,500

• Income = 3.7x Monthly Rent

 

Redford Twp also has a 17% lower cost of living than the US average, making it both attractive and practical for middle-class families and professionals who commute to Downtown (which is just a 20 minute drive away).

In summary, this is a predominantly Class B area, and it attracts Class B tenants, as well as homeowners who typically buy and stay long-term. Thanks to its community-centered lifestyle, proximity to the city, and the fact that it’s so much more affordable than neighboring areas like Livonia, Redford will always be in-demand with tenants like these.

Economic Development

 

Across Metro Detroit, we’re seeing billions of dollars being invested in new housing, commercial buildings, and large-scale economic development projects–a lot of which focuses around the auto industry that gave Motor City its name.

Redford is no exception. It’s already home to Ford’s $45M Advanced Manufacturing Center, and more projects are underway that will position the township even more strongly on the automotive map:

• Detroit Diesel Corporation will create 436 additional jobs with a $285M investment into their Redford Township facility, which produces zero-emission vehicle and internal combustion engine parts for trucks. 

A completion date has yet to be announced, but you can expect more manufacturers from the auto industry and adjacent fields to set up shop nearby in the future, too, as these companies are always looking to maximize economies of scale with localized production hubs.

• Construction began in 2024 on the new $6.5 Redford Recreation and Wellness Center, which shows how much the local government is dedicated to improving public services for its residents. 

It also shows that they have tax dollars to burn–and where do most tax dollars come from? Property tax. Home values here are rising, so the county has cash to reinvest in projects like these. That’s always a good indicator for investors.

• 61 new studio, 1-bed and 2-bed units are being built at the St Mary of Redford Building, as part of a $28M rehabilitation project to save this historic church and create much-needed affordable housing in the area. 

Clearly, the city thinks more demand is on the horizon, and they’re preparing for it now.

Crime and Safety

Compared to Metro Detroit as a whole, Redford is very safe. Whereas crime rates in the City of Detroit are almost always above national averages, robberies, thefts and burglaries are all below national average in Redford Twp. And, when surveyed, the majority of residents rate it as “pretty” or “very safe,” according to Niche, and say they feel law enforcement is “very visible and very responsive.”

There is, however, a slight divide between east and west–crime heat maps show that areas that lie to the east of Beech-Daly experience higher rates of crime than those to the west, closer to Livonia.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid these neighborhoods (they’re still safer than anything you’ll find in Detroit)–just something to keep in mind.

Investment Report Card

Now let’s add all of this up and see how Redford performs. 

We’ve created this standardized Report Card for each city we cover, so you can understand how we evaluate and determine the overall scores:

In summary, this is a solid Class B+ neighborhood that’s always been a top choice with Metro Detroit rental investors for its:

• Cash Flow Plus Appreciation: Properties priced between $120-$160k, most of which generate positive rental cash flow and will continue to appreciate as demand increases
• Easy-to-Manage: Well-maintained housing stock without many major issues and tenants who are likely to pay consistently on-time & in full
• Low Vacancy Rates: High demand amongst a solid Class B tenant pool, with a low supply of quality rentals

However, Redford isn’t as affordable as other areas (like Harper Woods) where you can still find entry-level investment properties for at or slightly under $100k. 

You’ll be looking at at least $120,000 for a 2-bedroom rental property here, but it will most likely meet the 1% Rule, attract solid tenants with minimal vacancy time, and bring minimal management headaches compared to other Detroit locales.

So, if you’re interested in acquiring a rental of your own here, these are our top picks for the best streets to invest on in Redford:

Streets to Focus On:

Honestly, there aren’t any “Streets to Avoid” in Redford, so we’ve removed that section from this Deep Dive (woohoo!).

Everywhere here is relatively safe and desirable with tenants. But if we could cherry pick the best spots to buy in Redford Township, we’d say:

1. Kinloch Street & the Surrounding Blocks: South of 5 Mile, where the “downtown” area of Redford is centralized, and just north of the Western Golf & Country Club, these tree-lined streets are filled with well-maintained bungalows that don’t require much work, and should easily fit the 1% Rule.
2. Knight, Puritan, etc.: The streets southeast of the Glenhurst Golf Course (which have no suffix, they’re simply called “Knight,” etc.) are also a great area to look at, and they tend to be a little cheaper than near Kinloch (around $160k, on average).
3. Near Brady & Elmira Street: Just south of Detroit Memorial Park West, you’ll find lots of brick bungalows around 1,000-1,200 sq ft here, most of which are closer to the $200k mark. But if you can find a deal here, grab it.

This isn’t an exhaustive list–like we said, you can’t really go wrong in Redford. It’s just a matter of choosing a street that fits your budget, and finding a property that fits the 1% Rule.

Which, fortunately, is pretty darn easy here. 

That’s why it’s right at the top of our list for Metro Detroit Ring Cities that we recommend landlord clients to look at when they want to expand their rental portfolio.

 

Stay tuned for our upcoming Deep Dives into other Metro Detroit neighborhoods. If you have a specific area in mind, leave a comment, and we’ll be sure to cover it in one of our next installments.

Want to explore investment properties in Redford? Contact us for a list of our available units.