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  • Writer's pictureSang Han

Cap rate?


The capitalization rate, often referred to as the cap rate, is a fundamental metric used in real estate investing to evaluate the potential return on an investment property. It's calculated by dividing the property's net operating income (NOI) by its current market value or acquisition cost.



Here's the formula:

Cap Rate = (Net Operating Income / Current Market Value or Acquisition Cost) * 100%


Let's break down each component:

  • Net Operating Income (NOI): NOI represents the annual income generated by an investment property after deducting all operating expenses but before accounting for financing (e.g., mortgage) and income taxes. The formula for calculating NOI is: NOI = Gross Rental Income - Operating Expenses Gross Rental Income includes all rental income generated from the property, while Operating Expenses include costs such as property taxes, insurance, maintenance, property management fees, and other operational expenses. NOI excludes mortgage payments and income taxes.

  • Current Market Value or Acquisition Cost: This is the property's current market value if you're using it to evaluate an existing property. If you're assessing a potential purchase, it would be the projected acquisition cost, including the purchase price, closing costs, and any necessary renovations or improvements.

Once you have these values, you can plug them into the cap rate formula to calculate the cap rate as a percentage. A higher cap rate generally indicates a potentially better return on investment, but it's essential to consider other factors like location, property condition, and market conditions when making investment decisions. Different types of properties and markets may have varying typical cap rates, so it's important to compare the cap rate of the property you're interested in with similar properties in the same market to assess its competitiveness.

Keep in mind that cap rate is a simplified metric and doesn't account for financing, potential appreciation, or other factors that might affect an investment's overall performance. It's best used as one tool in your real estate investment analysis toolkit.


I will write about the necessary information to calculate Cap rate in my next blog. If you have any questions about today’s content, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you.


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