Real estate calculator
Editor
Review the purchase, financing, rent, vacancy, operating expenses, and upfront cash assumptions in one clear form. The cash flow, NOI, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return update live as you compare scenarios.
Start with the property purchase and financing details, then layer in income, vacancy, operating expenses, and upfront cash invested for a more realistic rental-property estimate.
Purchase and financing
These assumptions determine the loan amount, mortgage payment estimate, and how much cash you need to put into the deal upfront.
Mortgage debt service in this calculator includes principal and interest only. Property taxes and insurance stay in the operating-expense section so the NOI math remains clear.
Rental income
Use your expected monthly rent and any recurring extra income, then apply a vacancy rate so the estimate does not assume perfect occupancy every month.
Effective gross income equals scheduled rent plus other income minus vacancy loss. It represents the income the property actually collects under your current assumptions.
Operating expenses
Add the recurring costs that affect rental performance. These expenses are subtracted before debt service to calculate net operating income.
Operating expenses here include taxes, insurance, HOA, utilities, reserves, management, and leasing costs. Mortgage payments are shown separately because NOI is measured before financing.
Upfront cash invested
These cash items help estimate total cash invested and cash-on-cash return. They do not change NOI, but they do affect the return on your actual out-of-pocket money.
Results
Estimated monthly cash flow
$25.60
Annual cash flow
$307.20
Net operating income (NOI)
$15,873.60
Cap rate
6.35%
Cash-on-cash return
0.56%
Effective gross income
$25,080.00
Operating expenses total
$9,206.40
Monthly mortgage payment
$1,297.20
Annual debt service
$15,566.40
Total cash invested
$55,000.00
Effective gross income
$25,080.00
Operating expenses
-$9,206.40
Net operating income
$15,873.60
Annual debt service
-$15,566.40
Annual cash flow
$307.20
| Item | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross scheduled rent | $2,200.00 | $26,400.00 | — |
| Other income | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Vacancy loss | -$110.00 | -$1,320.00 | 5% of scheduled rent in this estimate. |
| Effective gross income | $2,090.00 | $25,080.00 | — |
| Property taxes | -$250.00 | -$3,000.00 | — |
| Insurance | -$100.00 | -$1,200.00 | — |
| HOA fee | -$0.00 | -$0.00 | — |
| Utilities | -$0.00 | -$0.00 | — |
| Repairs and maintenance reserve | -$150.00 | -$1,800.00 | — |
| CapEx reserve | -$100.00 | -$1,200.00 | — |
| Property management | -$167.20 | -$2,006.40 | Applied to collected rent after vacancy in this estimate. |
| Leasing and turnover cost | -$0.00 | -$0.00 | — |
| Operating expenses total | -$767.20 | -$9,206.40 | — |
| Net operating income (NOI) | $1,322.80 | $15,873.60 | — |
| Mortgage payment / debt service | -$1,297.20 | -$15,566.40 | — |
| Cash flow | $25.60 | $307.20 | — |
Total cash invested
$55,000.00
Cap rate
6.35%
Cash-on-cash return
0.56%
How it works
A rental property cash flow calculator estimates whether a long-term rental may generate positive or negative cash flow after income, vacancy, operating expenses, and financing are accounted for. It helps investors compare purchase scenarios without needing a full underwriting platform.
The calculator starts with scheduled monthly rent and other income, subtracts vacancy loss, then subtracts recurring operating expenses. That produces NOI before financing. Debt service is then subtracted from NOI to estimate monthly and annual pre-tax cash flow.
Vacancy reduces the rent the property is expected to collect over time. Even strong rentals rarely stay occupied and fully collected every month forever, so a vacancy allowance can make the income estimate more realistic than using gross rent alone.
NOI stands for net operating income. It is the property's effective gross income minus operating expenses, before mortgage payments. Investors often use NOI because it isolates the property's operating performance from the financing structure.
Cap rate compares annual NOI with the purchase price to show the property's unlevered operating yield. Cash-on-cash return goes a step further by comparing annual pre-tax cash flow with the total cash you actually put into the deal, including the down payment and upfront costs.
Financing can materially change cash flow and cash-on-cash return even when the same property has the same NOI. Real outcomes can also shift because of rent collection, repairs, taxes, insurance premiums, management execution, turnover, and local market conditions. Use this calculator as an estimate, not a guarantee.