Purchase Details
Operating Expenses (Monthly)
Income
Analysis & Exit

Monthly Cash Flow

$0

Cap Rate

0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

0%

Total Investment Needed

$0

Financial Breakdown
Metric Year 1 Year 5 Year 10 Year 20

Understanding Rental Property Investments

Rental property investment involves real estate purchase, holding, leasing, and selling. Unlike stocks, real estate is capital-intensive and requires active management, but offers tax benefits, inflation hedging, and stable cash flow. Use this calculator to analyze the viability of an investment property.

Key Investment Metrics

When analyzing a property, pay attention to these three core metrics:

  • Cap Rate: Net Operating Income (NOI) divided by the property price. It shows the yield if you paid all cash.
  • Cash-on-Cash Return: Annual pre-tax cash flow divided by total cash invested. Measures the return on actual cash spent.
  • IRR (Internal Rate of Return): A comprehensive metric that accounts for the time value of money over the holding period.

The 1% and 50% Rules

Quick rules of thumb for preliminary screening:

  • The 1% Rule: Monthly rent should be at least 1% of the purchase price.
  • The 50% Rule: Operating expenses (excluding mortgage) typically consume about 50% of rental income.

While useful, these rules are no substitute for detailed financial analysis using this calculator.