Rental house calculator

Does the rent cover all of the property's costs and leave a profit? It comes preloaded with the guide's $350,000 case. Change each assumption to your numbers: these are educational estimates, not quotes or promised returns.

Property and loan

Purchase price ($)Estimated rent ($/mo)Down payment (of price) (%)Fixed annual rate (%)Term (years)

Fixed costs

Property taxes (of price, per year) (%)Landlord insurance ($/yr)HOA ($/mo)Owner-paid utilities ($/mo)

Operating costs (on rent)

Vacancy and non-payment (%)Property management (%)Maintenance (%)Reserves for big replacements (%)

I self-manage (no 8% management fee)

Closing (Florida estimate)

Origination (of loan) (%)Appraisal ($)Title and settlement ($)Mortgage documentary stamps ($ per $100)Intangible tax (of loan) (%)Escrow: months of taxes (months)Escrow: months of insurance (months)Deposit already paid (earnest money) ($)Seller credits ($)Initial repairs ($)Startup reserve ($)

Cash due at closing

$93,598.75

Total money to buy and get started (with repairs and reserve): $101,598.75

Down payment $87,500 + closing costs $5,906.25 + first-year insurance $2,400 + escrow $1,292.50 − deposit $3,500 − credits $0

The month

Principal + interest (P&I): $1,790.71
Total payment (P&I + taxes + insurance + HOA): $2,288.21
Net operating income: $1,273.50
Annual net cash flow: −$6,206.55
Break-even rent (zero cash flow): $2,972
Adverse scenario (rent −10%, vacancy 8%): −$756.41
Cash-on-cash return at closing: -6.63%
Return on total startup cash: -6.11%

Maximum price for zero cash flow: $248,900 to $263,300

Two figures because taxes depend on the assessment: the first assumes they stay as today; the second, that they drop with the new price.

The down-payment lever

Same house, same rent and rate. A bigger down payment: smaller loan, lower payment and much less interest — but that money stays inside the house and stops being your reserve.

Down payment	P&I payment	Total interest	Net cash flow	Cash at closing
25%	$1,790.71	$382,157	−$517.21	$93,599
40%	$1,432.57	$305,725	−$159.07	$145,548
50%	$1,193.81	$254,771	$79.69	$180,180

Inflation and fixed-rate debt

Annual inflation assumption (%)

	5 years	10 years
Estimated home value	$405,746	$470,371
Loan balance	$247,744	$226,565
Balance in today's dollars	$213,706	$168,585
Payment in today's dollars	$1,545	$1,332
Rent at the same pace	$2,666	$3,091

Assumption, not a promise. Appreciation and inflation may not happen; equity is not available cash. In Florida, the 3% annual tax cap (Save Our Homes) applies only to a primary residence; a rental house has a 10% cap.

Educational tool. It does not replace advice from a lender, agent or accountant.