Homes & property · Rental property calculator

Will this property pay for itself?

Check rental cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return and the rent needed to break even.

No email or phone. Inputs stay in this tab. Amounts are USD.

Scenario / listing name

Keep up to three named scenarios, then change the calculator for the next one. Saved comparisons stay in this tab and disappear when you leave. To save a file, choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print dialog.

Work backward to a price

Required monthly rental cash flow ($)

Price ceiling under these assumptions: $228,066

Holds every other input fixed, including down-payment percentage, taxes entered as dollar amounts, and income. This is a cash-flow ceiling, not a valuation, approval, or check that you have the upfront cash. Revisit the cash needed after applying it.

Purchase & financing

Purchase price ($)

Down payment (%)

Annual loan interest rate (%)Illustrative fixed rate; use a lender quote.

Mortgage term (years)

Purchase closing costs (%)

Initial repairs / renovation ($)

Initial cash reserves ($)

Income & operating costs

Monthly scheduled rent (all units) ($)

Monthly other income ($)

Vacancy / uncollected income (%)

Annual property taxes ($)

Annual property insurance ($)

Monthly HOA ($)

Monthly owner-paid utilities / other costs ($)

Annual routine repairs ($)

Annual capital replacement reserve ($)

Management fee on collected income (%)

Example result

This property needs cash each month

Monthly cash flow-$349

Cash needed to buy$100,500

Cap rate5.8%

Cash-on-cash return-4.2%

Estimates update as you change the numbers. Review the assumptions below.

See the breakdown

Scheduled annual income: $33,600
Vacancy allowance: $1,680
Operating expenses: $11,754
Net operating income (NOI): $20,166
Capital replacement reserve: $2,000
Annual mortgage payments: $22,354
NOI / debt service: 0.90×
Monthly rent needed to break even: $3,199
Downside monthly cash flow: -$710

How to read this estimate

NOI excludes financing, income taxes and capital replacements. Cash flow includes your capital reserve. No appreciation or tax benefits are assumed.

Downside: scheduled rent and other income fall 10%, vacancy rises 5 percentage points, and fixed expenses remain unchanged.

Verify actual rent rolls, property taxes after sale, insurance quotes, local rules, repairs and vacancy. Rates and costs are editable assumptions, not investment-loan quotes.

Worked example · fictional, not a real listing

A rental can collect rent and still lose money

A fictional $350,000 rental has $2,800 monthly rent, 20% down and a 7% fixed loan. The loaded example subtracts 5% vacancy, management, property taxes, insurance, repairs, utilities and a capital reserve before showing cash flow.

What to look for: Read NOI and cash flow separately. NOI describes the property before financing; cash flow also accounts for the mortgage and capital reserve. Use the rent-needed line to test whether the required rent is plausible.

The example figures above stay fixed while you edit your own scenario. Use “Load example” to restore default inputs where available.

Before you commit: your rental purchase checklist

0 of 5 reviewed. Check marks stay in this tab; include them in your printed report.

Request current leases, deposits, rent roll and payment history.Reconcile at least 12 months of expenses with invoices and statements.Verify permits, rental restrictions, lease transfer rules and local obligations.Price vacancy, turnover, management and major capital replacements.Check the insurance quote and property-tax basis after purchase.

Your next steps

Request rent rolls and the last 12 months of operating expenses.
Get insurance and tax estimates for your ownership, not just the seller’s costs.
Check inspection findings, rental restrictions and major replacement needs.

Sources & assumptions

Linked sources explain the methods and considerations. Example rates, costs and future growth assumptions are editable illustrations, not current market quotes. Reviewed September 7, 2026.

These tools provide educational estimates. Confirm terms and inputs before making a financial commitment.