Finger Lakes, NY
New York wine country - lakefront and winery STR market
The Finger Lakes region is New York's premier wine country, anchored by Seneca, Cayuga, and Keuka lakes and over 130 wineries. The market draws visitors from NYC, Boston, and Toronto for wine weekends, fall foliage, and summer lakefront recreation. Lakefront properties command significant premiums and the Cornell University/Ithaca feeder market provides year-round non-seasonal demand.
Across 15 active STR-viable listings analyzed this month, Finger Lakes shows a 6.8% median cap rate at a $380K median list price, 40% occupancy, and $321/night. That ranks #3 of 57 markets in STRROI's live ranking. At typical prices the income covers expenses with a moderate margin; deals work best with a solid down payment or a below-market purchase.
Finger Lakes real estate market right now
As of October 15, 2026, STRROI is tracking 15 homes for sale in Finger Lakes that could run as short-term rentals, at a median list price of $379,900. The middle half are priced between $168K and $469K. That works out to a median of $198 per square foot for a typical 1,872 square foot home. Homes here have been on the market 86 days on average, close to the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking. 2 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
These numbers cover the homes for sale STRROI analyzes as potential short-term rentals in Finger Lakes, mainly ZIP 14891. They are not every home sale in the area, so they can differ from MLS-wide figures. Month-by-month price history starts Oct 2026 and fills in as the market is re-checked each month.
What's for sale in Finger Lakes right now
Of the 15 homes for sale we analyzed in Finger Lakes, 8 (53%) project positive monthly cash flow with 20% down at a 7.5% rate, and 2 rate Buy or better on STRROI's 1-10 scale. 3-bedroom homes are the most common (8 for sale, median $407K). Returns are strongest in 4-bedroom homes at a 7.8% median cap rate, and weakest in 3-bedroom homes at 6.1%.
- Strong Buy: 1
- Buy: 1
- Moderate Buy: 2
- Watch: 2
- Weak: 7
- Avoid: 2
| Beds | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | $407K | 6.1% |
| 4 | 5 | $439K | 7.8% |
| Type | For sale | Median price | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | 12 | $437K | 6.6% |
Top-ranked homes for sale in Finger Lakes this month
Scored 1-10 against real Airbnb comps. Addresses, photos and the full underwriting are in the app.
- #1Strong Buy · 9/103 bd · 2 ba single-family homeZIP 14891 · listed at $249K
- Cap rate
- 9.6%
- Cash flow
- +$602/mo
- Nightly
- $315 at 40%
- #2Buy · 7/104 bd · 2 ba single-family homeZIP 14891 · listed at $439K
- Cap rate
- 7.8%
- Cash flow
- +$411/mo
- Nightly
- $436 at 40%
- #3Moderate Buy · 6/104 bd · 4 ba single-family homeZIP 14891 · listed at $500K
- Cap rate
- 7.0%
- Cash flow
- +$132/mo
- Nightly
- $459 at 40%
How Finger Lakes compares
Finger Lakes ranks #3 of 6 Northeast markets in STRROI's live ranking; Poconos leads the region with a median cap rate of 8.4%. Its 6.8% cap rate is 3.9 points above the 2.9% median across all 57 ranked markets, and its $380K typical list price is cheaper than the Northeast median of $522K.
| Rank | Market | Cap rate | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Poconos, PA | 8.4% | $428K |
| #2 | Catskills, NY | 7.2% | $450K |
| #3 | Finger Lakes, NY | 6.8% | $380K |
| #10 | Bar Harbor, ME | 5.0% | $725K |
| #20 | Cape Cod, MA | 3.8% | $594K |
| #39 | The Hamptons, NY | 2.4% | $2.2M |
Rank is national, by median cap rate across active STR-viable listings. Cash flow uses STRROI's default financing assumptions. See the full ranking
Estimated Annual Performance
* Estimates based on market averages. Individual property performance varies. Always run a full underwriting analysis.
Why Investors Choose Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes STR investing, answered
Is Finger Lakes, NY a good short-term rental market?
Finger Lakes is a Northeast STR market with a 6.8% median cap rate, 40% annual occupancy, and $321/night across STR-viable listings, based on 15 active listings. It ranks #3 of 57 markets by median cap rate in STRROI's live ranking. This month 2 of its 15 homes for sale rate Buy or better.
What is the average Airbnb occupancy rate in Finger Lakes?
STR-viable properties in Finger Lakes average about 40% occupancy across the year. Peak season is June - Oct (wine harvest: Sept-Oct). Occupancy here reflects availability-adjusted booking performance, not raw calendar occupancy, so it represents what a full-time operated rental can realistically achieve.
How much do short-term rentals earn in Finger Lakes?
At $321/night and 40% occupancy, a typical Finger Lakes STR grosses roughly $47,217 per year before expenses, leaving an estimated $28,330 in net operating income. Across analyzed listings the median cap rate is 6.8%. Individual results depend on property, amenities, and management.
What types of properties work best for STR in Finger Lakes?
Among homes for sale right now, 4-bedroom homes post the strongest median cap rate by size (7.8%). With guests, the best-performing STR types here are Lakefront Home, Farmhouse, Cottage, Single Family. Matching the local guest profile and the amenities that drive bookings matters more than raw square footage.
How many homes for sale in Finger Lakes cash flow as an Airbnb?
8 of 15 STR-viable listings (53%) project positive monthly cash flow after the mortgage, assuming 20% down at a 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan. The top-ranked listing this month is a 3-bedroom single-family home in ZIP 14891 listed at $249K, projecting a 9.6% cap rate and +$602 a month.
What is the median home price in Finger Lakes, NY right now?
The median list price of the 15 homes for sale STRROI tracks in Finger Lakes is $379,900, and the middle half are priced between $168K and $469K. The median price per square foot is $198. These are homes that could run as short-term rentals, mainly ZIP 14891, not every sale in the area. Against a 6.8% median cap rate, that price level sets the return baseline you'd underwrite against.
How long do homes stay on the market in Finger Lakes?
Homes for sale in Finger Lakes have been listed 86 days on average, close to the 101 days typical across the 56 markets in STRROI's ranking. 2 of them were listed in the last 30 days.
Market averages, not guarantees. Cap rates, occupancy, and nightly rates are market-wide averages based on active STR listings and historical data. Individual property performance depends on location, amenities, management, and listing quality. Always run a full underwriting analysis before purchasing.Stats sourced from 15 active listings · last updated Oct 15, 2026
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