Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator
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function calculateCashFlow() {
// Get Input Values
var price = parseFloat(document.getElementById('propPrice').value);
var down = parseFloat(document.getElementById('downPay').value);
var closing = parseFloat(document.getElementById('closingCosts').value);
var rate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('intRate').value);
var years = parseFloat(document.getElementById('loanTerm').value);
var rent = parseFloat(document.getElementById('rentInc').value);
var expenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById('monthlyExp').value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(price) || isNaN(down) || isNaN(rate) || isNaN(years) || isNaN(rent) || isNaN(expenses)) {
alert("Please fill in all fields with valid numbers.");
return;
}
if (closing 0) {
cocReturn = (annualCashFlow / totalCashInvested) * 100;
}
// Formatting Output
var formatter = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', {
style: 'currency',
currency: 'USD',
});
document.getElementById('resMortgage').innerText = formatter.format(mortgagePayment);
document.getElementById('resTotalExp').innerText = formatter.format(totalMonthlyExpenses);
var cfElement = document.getElementById('resCashFlow');
cfElement.innerText = formatter.format(monthlyCashFlow);
if (monthlyCashFlow >= 0) {
cfElement.className = "result-value highlight positive";
} else {
cfElement.className = "result-value highlight negative";
}
var annualElement = document.getElementById('resAnnualFlow');
annualElement.innerText = formatter.format(annualCashFlow);
if (annualCashFlow >= 0) {
annualElement.className = "result-value positive";
} else {
annualElement.className = "result-value negative";
}
var cocElement = document.getElementById('resCoc');
cocElement.innerText = cocReturn.toFixed(2) + "%";
if (cocReturn >= 0) {
cocElement.className = "result-value positive";
} else {
cocElement.className = "result-value negative";
}
// Show Results
document.getElementById('results').style.display = 'block';
}
Understanding Rental Property Cash Flow
Calculating cash flow is the single most important step in analyzing a potential rental property investment. Cash flow represents the net amount of money moving in or out of your business after all expenses have been paid. Positive cash flow means the property is generating income, while negative cash flow indicates a financial loss.
How to Use This Calculator
This Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator provides a comprehensive analysis of your potential investment. Here is how to interpret the inputs:
- Purchase Price: The agreed-upon sales price of the property.
- Down Payment: The upfront cash you are paying toward the property equity.
- Closing Costs: Estimated fees for processing the transaction (title fees, recording, etc.), usually 2-5% of the purchase price.
- Monthly Operating Expenses: This is a critical field. Do not underestimate costs. Include property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, maintenance reserves (typically 5-10% of rent), vacancy reserves (5-8%), and property management fees.
What is Cash on Cash Return?
While monthly cash flow tells you how much money you make each month, the Cash on Cash (CoC) Return tells you how hard your money is working. It is calculated by dividing your annual pre-tax cash flow by the total cash invested (Down Payment + Closing Costs).
For example, if you invest $50,000 total and the property generates $5,000 in positive cash flow per year, your CoC return is 10%. This metric allows you to compare real estate returns directly against other investment vehicles like stocks or bonds.
Why is My Cash Flow Negative?
If the calculator shows a negative result (highlighted in red), the monthly costs of owning the property exceed the rental income. This often happens if:
- The purchase price is too high relative to market rent.
- The interest rate is high, increasing mortgage costs.
- Operating expenses were underestimated.
- The down payment is too low, resulting in a larger loan and higher monthly payments.
Use this tool to adjust your offer price or down payment strategy to achieve your desired profitability targets.