How accurate is this calculator?

It uses the same formulas lenders and investors use. Accuracy depends on your inputs — garbage in, garbage out. Use real tax bills, insurance quotes, and market rents for the best results.

What is a good cash-on-cash return?

Most investors target 8–12% cash-on-cash. Above 12% is excellent. Below 6% means you might earn more in index funds with less work. Context matters — a 7% CoC with 4% appreciation in a growing market can outperform a 12% CoC in a stagnant one.

Cap rate = Net Operating Income ÷ Purchase Price. It measures the property's return independent of financing. A 6% cap rate means the property generates 6 cents of NOI for every dollar of value. Lower cap rates typically mean lower risk (and lower returns).

What expenses should I include?

At minimum: property taxes, insurance, vacancy reserve (8–10%), property management (8–10% even if self-managing), and maintenance (5%). Don't forget HOA fees if applicable. Underestimating expenses is the #1 mistake new investors make.

The 1% rule says monthly rent should be at least 1% of the purchase price. A $200,000 property should rent for $2,000+/month. It's a quick screening tool, not a guarantee of profitability — always run the full numbers.

Does this work for multi-family properties?

Yes. Enter the total purchase price and total monthly rent across all units. For a duplex renting both units at $1,200, enter $2,400 for monthly rent. Expenses should reflect the entire property.

How much cash flow per month is good?

$100–200 per unit per month is a solid target for buy-and-hold. That means a duplex should cash flow $200–400/month. Anything above that is a bonus. Below $100/unit, one repair can wipe out months of profit.

What's the difference between cap rate and cash-on-cash?

Cap rate ignores financing — it's the property's raw yield. Cash-on-cash measures your actual cash return on the cash you invested (including leverage). A high cap rate with poor financing terms can still produce a low cash-on-cash return.

Deal Analysis

Rental Property Calculator

Run the numbers on any deal in seconds — cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and total ROI. The same analysis investors use before making an offer.

Net Monthly

$224

Cash-on-Cash

1.64%

Cap Rate

6.01%

Total ROI

16.03%

Look Up

Property Details

Purchase Price

Down Payment

Interest Rate

Loan Term

yrs

Income & Expenses

Monthly Rent

Annual Property Taxes

Annual Insurance

Monthly HOA

Assumptions

Repair Costs

Closing Costs

Vacancy

Prop. Mgmt

Maintenance

Appreciation

Initial Investment

Down Payment$145,000

Closing Costs$17,400

Repairs$2,000

Total Required$164,400

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$4,800

Mortgage P&I-$2,678

Taxes-$742

Insurance-$292

Vacancy-$240

Mgmt-$384

Maintenance-$240

Net Monthly$224

First Year Return

Cash Flow (1.64%)$2,692

Principal (3.10%)$5,097

Appreciation (11.29%)$18,560

Total (16.03%)$26,349

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on your inputs. Actual returns depend on market conditions, property specifics, and factors this tool can't model. Verify numbers with your lender, CPA, and real estate professional before making investment decisions.

Deeper Analysis Available

Enter an address or paste a listing URL above to unlock market intelligence for your specific deal.

Market Context

Rate, rent, price, and cap-rate reality-checks at ZIP, county, and metro grain — sourced from FHFA, HUD, Census, and BLS.

Deal Insights

40+ signal-driven alerts — buy-box score, Section 8 gaps, affordability tier, migration pressure, lending conditions — each tagged by geographic scope.

12-Month Forecast

Rent and home-value projections for the next 12 months where available, with 80% confidence bands and vintage-stamped at analyze-time.

Risk & Peers

FEMA hazard rating, insurance + tax cost stack, demand signals (talent, migration, household formation), and 5–10 peer metros for context.

1 credit per analysis · Free accounts start with 5

Guide

How to use the calculator

Define the deal structure

Enter purchase price, down payment, interest rate, and loan term. These four inputs determine your financing picture — monthly mortgage, required cash, and leverage level.

Layer in real income and costs

Set monthly rent and annual expenses (taxes, insurance, HOA). Use real numbers from the listing, tax records, and insurance quotes — not estimates.

Stress-test your assumptions

Adjust vacancy rate, property management, and maintenance reserves. Conservative investors use 8–10% vacancy, 8–10% management, and 5% maintenance.

Read the results like an investor

Focus on monthly cash flow first, then cash-on-cash return. A deal that cash flows negative from day one rarely improves. Target $100–200/month per unit minimum.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions