Real Estate Calculator
$0.00 monthly cash flow
How This Rental Property Analysis Works
This calculator models a residential rental property as an investment. It first estimates your monthly mortgage payment (principal and interest) from your purchase price, down payment, rate, and term. It then subtracts vacancy loss, property tax, insurance, maintenance, HOA dues, and management fees from your rent to find your monthly cash flow. Cash-on-cash return compares that cash flow to your total cash invested (down payment, closing costs, and repairs) — a key metric because it measures the return on the actual money you put in, not the full property value. Cap rate, by contrast, measures the property's return independent of financing, which makes it useful for comparing deals with different loan structures.
A Common Pitfall: Underestimating Expenses
New investors often forget that maintenance and vacancy costs are real even in years when nothing goes wrong on paper — a widely used rule of thumb budgets 1% of the property's value per year for maintenance and repairs, plus a vacancy allowance of 5-8% of rent even in strong markets. This calculator assumes that if your down payment is at least 20% of the purchase price, no mortgage insurance is needed, matching standard conventional investment-property financing.
Compare Financing Options First
Since your mortgage terms drive most of the monthly cost, it's worth shopping rates before running the numbers here — try the mortgage calculator to compare payment scenarios, or the rental property calculator for a deeper investment breakdown including appreciation and tax effects over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a good cash-on-cash return for a rental property?
Many investors target 8-12% cash-on-cash return, though this varies by market and risk tolerance. It only measures return on the cash you actually invested (down payment, closing costs, and repairs), not the full property value, so it's most useful for comparing deals with similar financing.
Why is my cap rate different from my cash-on-cash return?
Cap rate measures the property's net operating income against its purchase price with no financing involved, so it lets you compare properties on their own merits. Cash-on-cash return factors in your mortgage payment and only your actual cash invested, so it reflects how leverage is affecting your personal return.