Rental Property Profitability Calculator
.rp-calculator-wrapper {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
background: #ffffff;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
overflow: hidden;
}
.rp-calc-header {
background: #2c3e50;
color: #ffffff;
padding: 20px;
text-align: center;
}
.rp-calc-header h2 {
margin: 0;
font-size: 24px;
}
.rp-calc-body {
padding: 30px;
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
gap: 30px;
}
.rp-input-section {
flex: 1 1 300px;
}
.rp-result-section {
flex: 1 1 250px;
background: #f8f9fa;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
border: 1px solid #dee2e6;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
justify-content: center;
}
.rp-form-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.rp-form-group label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 5px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #333;
font-size: 14px;
}
.rp-form-group input {
width: 100%;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.rp-form-group .input-icon {
position: relative;
}
.rp-form-group .input-icon input {
padding-left: 25px;
}
.rp-form-group .input-icon span {
position: absolute;
left: 10px;
top: 50%;
transform: translateY(-50%);
color: #666;
}
.rp-btn {
width: 100%;
padding: 15px;
background: #27ae60;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background 0.2s;
margin-top: 10px;
}
.rp-btn:hover {
background: #219150;
}
.rp-result-row {
margin-bottom: 20px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #e9ecef;
padding-bottom: 10px;
}
.rp-result-row:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
margin-bottom: 0;
}
.rp-result-label {
font-size: 14px;
color: #666;
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
.rp-result-value {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: 700;
color: #2c3e50;
}
.rp-result-value.positive {
color: #27ae60;
}
.rp-result-value.negative {
color: #c0392b;
}
.rp-article {
padding: 30px;
border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #444;
}
.rp-article h3 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 25px;
}
.rp-article ul {
padding-left: 20px;
}
.rp-article li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.rp-calc-body {
flex-direction: column;
}
}
Monthly Mortgage Payment
$0.00
Total Monthly Expenses
$0.00
Cash on Cash Return (ROI)
0.00%
Understanding Rental Property Analysis
Investing in real estate is a powerful way to build wealth, but simply buying a property and renting it out doesn't guarantee a profit. Successful investors rely on metrics like Cash Flow and Cash-on-Cash Return to evaluate the viability of a deal before signing the papers.
Key Metrics Explained
- Monthly Cash Flow: This is the net income left in your pocket after all expenses (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance) are paid. Positive cash flow ensures the property pays for itself and provides passive income.
- Cash-on-Cash Return: This metric calculates the annual return on the actual cash you invested (down payment + closing costs), rather than the total price of the property. It is calculated as
(Annual Cash Flow / Total Cash Invested) * 100. A return of 8-12% is often considered a solid benchmark for rental investments.
Estimating Expenses Accurately
New investors often underestimate the costs of ownership. Beyond the mortgage principal and interest, you must account for:
- Property Taxes & Insurance: These can vary significantly by location.
- Vacancy Rates: Your property won't be rented 365 days a year. Budgeting 5-8% of rent for vacancy is prudent.
- Maintenance & CapEx: Roofs leak and water heaters break. Setting aside reserves monthly prevents cash flow shock when repairs are needed.
Use the calculator above to adjust your purchase price, down payment, or rental estimates to find a scenario that meets your investment goals.
function calculateRental() {
// 1. Get Inputs
var price = parseFloat(document.getElementById('purchasePrice').value) || 0;
var down = parseFloat(document.getElementById('downPayment').value) || 0;
var rate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('interestRate').value) || 0;
var years = parseFloat(document.getElementById('loanTerm').value) || 0;
var monthlyRent = parseFloat(document.getElementById('monthlyRent').value) || 0;
var annualTaxes = parseFloat(document.getElementById('annualTaxes').value) || 0;
var annualIns = parseFloat(document.getElementById('annualInsurance').value) || 0;
var monthlyOther = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherExpenses').value) || 0;
// 2. Calculate Mortgage (Principal + Interest)
var principal = price – down;
var monthlyMortgage = 0;
if (rate > 0 && years > 0) {
var monthlyRate = (rate / 100) / 12;
var totalMonths = years * 12;
monthlyMortgage = (principal * monthlyRate) / (1 – Math.pow(1 + monthlyRate, -totalMonths));
} else if (years > 0) {
// 0% interest case
monthlyMortgage = principal / (years * 12);
}
// 3. Calculate Total Monthly Expenses
var monthlyTax = annualTaxes / 12;
var monthlyIns = annualIns / 12;
var totalMonthlyExpenses = monthlyMortgage + monthlyTax + monthlyIns + monthlyOther;
// 4. Calculate Cash Flow
var monthlyCashFlow = monthlyRent – totalMonthlyExpenses;
var annualCashFlow = monthlyCashFlow * 12;
// 5. Calculate Cash on Cash Return
var cashOnCash = 0;
if (down > 0) {
cashOnCash = (annualCashFlow / down) * 100;
} else {
// Edge case: 0 down payment (infinite return technically, but show 0 or handle gracefully)
cashOnCash = 0;
}
// 6. Update UI
document.getElementById('monthlyMortgageResult').innerText = '$' + monthlyMortgage.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('totalExpensesResult').innerText = '$' + totalMonthlyExpenses.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
var cfElement = document.getElementById('cashFlowResult');
cfElement.innerText = '$' + monthlyCashFlow.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
// Color coding for Cash Flow
if (monthlyCashFlow >= 0) {
cfElement.className = 'rp-result-value positive';
} else {
cfElement.className = 'rp-result-value negative';
}
var roiElement = document.getElementById('roiResult');
roiElement.innerText = cashOnCash.toFixed(2) + '%';
// Color coding for ROI
if (cashOnCash >= 0) {
roiElement.className = 'rp-result-value positive';
} else {
roiElement.className = 'rp-result-value negative';
}
}
// Initial calculation on load
window.onload = function() {
calculateRental();
};