Investors › Rental Property Calculator
Rental Property Calculator: Cash Flow, Cap Rate, 1% Rule and IRR
Run any rental the way an investor would: the quick screens (1%, 2% and 50% rules, GRM), the real returns (cap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR, break-even occupancy) and a year-by-year projection of rent, equity, cash flow and IRR. Type in an MLS number to load a listing and an estimate of its rent from closed leases nearby.
Free investor consultation or portfolio review
Sit down with George Lensch, broker-owner of Wyze Realty. Bring a property you are looking at, or the rentals you already own. We will go over the real numbers: rent, repairs, taxes, insurance, financing and what to buy, keep or sell next.
Before you use this tool: what these numbers cannot see
The tools on this page use MLS data and your assumptions. They cannot see the condition of the house, the repairs it needs, the age of the roof, HVAC and water heater, foundation or drainage problems, flood zone and insurance cost, HOA rules on renting, the real tax bill, or how a specific street rents compared to the rest of the ZIP. A low-priced house that screens well on paper usually screens well for a reason.
No results are guaranteed. These are estimates, not an appraisal, inspection, rent guarantee or financial advice. Before you make an offer, book a consultation and we will run the property with you, including rent comps for that house and a repair estimate.
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The starting numbers are a typical Huntsville-area three-bedroom: the median sale price ($282,000) and median lease ($1,695 a month) for three-bedroom homes in Madison and Limestone counties over the last 12 months. Notice what they show. At today's interest rates, a typical house at a typical price, bought with 25% down, does not cash flow. Investors who do well here buy below the median, add value with repairs, buy where rent is high compared to price, or put more down and count on loan paydown and appreciation. Change the numbers and watch which lever matters most.
Getting the inputs right in Huntsville
- Taxes: use the rental rate. Alabama assesses rentals at 20% of value, twice the 10% rate for a home the owner lives in, so the seller's current tax bill usually understates yours.
- Rent: use leased rents, not asking rents. Our rent report shows what homes actually leased for by ZIP and bedroom count. Across Madison and Limestone counties the median MLS lease over the last 12 months was $1,750 a month, $1,695 for a three-bedroom.
- Vacancy: the median MLS rental took 41 days from listing to signed lease over the last year. One month empty per year is about 8% vacancy.
- Appreciation: the FHFA index for the Huntsville metro averaged 3.9% a year over the last 30 years and 7.3% a year over the last ten, but only about 3.0% a year over the last three. See the appreciation report.
- Rent growth: MLS lease data shows rents roughly flat over the last three years while new apartments were absorbed. Be careful assuming fast rent growth.
- Reserves: roofs, HVAC systems and water heaters wear out. Setting aside 5% to 10% of rent for capital items keeps a good year from hiding a bad one.
Book a free investor consultation or portfolio review
Tell us what you are trying to buy, your budget and the return you need, or bring the rentals you already own for a portfolio review. We will send you deals that fit, run the rent and expense numbers with you, and if you want, manage the property after closing through Wyze Property Management.
Book a free consultation Call or text (256) 808-6861 Join our off-market list
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