Rental Property Calculator
Detailed financial analysis of a rental property: cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, ROI including appreciation, and break-even occupancy.
How to use the Rental Property Calculator
- Enter your inputs into the Rental Property Calculator above.
- Results update instantly as you type — no submit button needed.
- Adjust any value to see how the result changes in real time.
The rental analysis metrics
Cap rate = NOI / Price · · · Cash-on-cash = Annual cash flow / Cash invested · · · Total ROI = (Cash flow + Principal paydown + Appreciation) / Cash invested
Net Operating Income (NOI) is rent minus all operating expenses excluding debt service. Total ROI captures the four ways rental real estate makes money: cash flow, loan amortization, appreciation and tax benefits.
Worked example
A $400,000 duplex with $4,000/month gross rent, $1,500 operating expenses, $2,200 mortgage on $300,000 financed: NOI = $30,000/year, cap rate 7.5%. Cash flow after debt: $3,600/year. With $100,000 cash invested, cash-on-cash = 3.6%. Plus $6,000 principal paydown and 3% appreciation = 21.6% total ROI.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I reserve for repairs?
Most analysts use 5–10% of gross rent for repairs and 5–10% more for capital expenditures (roof, HVAC, big-ticket items). Older properties skew toward the higher end.
What about property management?
Hiring a property manager typically costs 8–12% of gross rent. Include this if you don't plan to self-manage — your cash-on-cash drops noticeably but your time investment falls dramatically.
Do I need to count vacancy?
Yes — 5–8% vacancy is a reasonable starting assumption. Account for the months between tenants, marketing time and turnover cleanup.