Calculators
Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator
Calculate monthly cash flow, cash-on-cash return and cap rate for a financed rental property, with reserves for repairs and capital expenditure.
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- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Analysing a buy-to-let or rental purchase
- Setting a maximum offer price
- Comparing financing options
- Checking whether rent increases are needed
About this tool
What the Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator does
A rental property cash flows when rent covers the mortgage and every operating cost, including reserves for repairs, vacancies and big-ticket replacements. This calculator finances the purchase, subtracts all costs and reports monthly cash flow and the cash-on-cash return on the money you put in.
Formula
- Cash flow = rent × (1 − vacancy) − operating costs − mortgage payment
- Operating costs = tax + insurance + HOA + (maintenance + management + capex) × rent
- Cash-on-cash = annual cash flow ÷ (down payment + closing costs)
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | $300,000 |
| Down payment | 25% |
| Closing costs | $9,000 |
| Mortgage rate | 7% |
| Loan term | 30 |
| Monthly rent | $2,400 |
| Vacancy | 5% |
| Property tax per year | $3,600 |
| Insurance per year | $1,400 |
| Maintenance | 8% |
| Management | 8% |
| Capital expenditure reserve | 5% |
| HOA per month | $0.00 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly cash flow | -$138 |
| Cash-on-cash return | -2.0% |
| Annual cash flow | -$1,651 |
| Cap rate | 5.44% |
| Mortgage payment | $1,497 |
| Operating costs per month | $921 |
| Cash invested | $84,000 |
How to read the result
Reserves for maintenance and capital expenditure are real costs even in months you spend nothing; roofs and boilers arrive eventually.
Cash flow is only one part of the return. Loan paydown, appreciation and tax benefits add to it, but they are not cash in hand.
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- Fix and Flip Profit Calculator: Calculate profit, return and annualised return on a fix-and-flip, plus the maximum offer under the 70% rule.
- House Hacking Calculator: Calculate your net housing cost when renting out other units or rooms, and the saving compared with renting.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
Subtract the mortgage payment and all operating costs, including reserves, from rent after vacancy.
Many investors look for 8% or more, but targets depend on market, risk and financing costs.
A quick screen suggesting monthly rent should be at least 1% of the purchase price. It is a rough filter, not an analysis.
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