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Intermediate terms

Essential Investment Profitability Metrics

This curated collection includes key terms that might be helpful when exploring how to measure the financial success of real estate investments. It focuses on core metrics used to define a successful rental property, from income and expenses to various return calculations. These terms were selected based on common questions and areas where investors often need clarity.

Learning Path

1

Effective Gross Income

Effective Gross Income (EGI) is a realistic measure of a property's total potential revenue, calculated by subtracting estimated vacancy and credit losses from its Potential Gross Income (PGI). It provides a more accurate picture of a property's income-generating capability for financial analysis.

Intermediate12-13 min
2

Vacancy Rate

The vacancy rate is the percentage of all available rental units in a property or market that are currently unoccupied or not generating income, serving as a key indicator of a property's financial health and market demand.

Beginner13-14 min
3

Cash-on-Cash Return

Cash-on-Cash Return (CoC) is a real estate investment metric that calculates the annual pre-tax cash flow generated by a property as a percentage of the total cash an investor has invested.

Intermediate15-18 min
4

Depreciation

Depreciation in real estate is an income tax deduction allowing investors to recover the cost of an income-producing property over its useful life, excluding land value, thereby reducing taxable income.

Intermediate13-14 min
5

Leverage

Leverage in real estate is the use of borrowed capital, typically through mortgages, to finance property purchases and amplify potential investment returns.

Intermediate15-18 min
6

Appreciation

Appreciation in real estate is the increase in a property's market value over time, leading to a profit for the owner when sold or refinanced. It is driven by market forces, economic growth, and property improvements.

Beginner12-13 min
7

Gross Potential Income

Gross Potential Income (GPI) is the maximum possible revenue a rental property could generate if all units were fully occupied at market rent, including all other income sources, before accounting for expenses.

Beginner13-14 min
8

Capital Expenditures

Capital Expenditures (CapEx) are significant funds spent by a real estate investor to acquire, upgrade, or extend the useful life of a property, rather than for routine maintenance or operating expenses. These investments enhance the property's value and are typically depreciated over time for tax purposes.

Intermediate14-15 min
9

Return on Investment

Return on Investment (ROI) is a financial metric that measures the profitability of an investment by comparing the net profit to the initial cost, expressed as a percentage.

Beginner13-14 min
10

Internal Rate of Return

The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is a sophisticated financial metric used in capital budgeting to estimate the profitability of potential investments, representing the discount rate at which the net present value (NPV) of all cash flows from a particular project equals zero.

Advanced15-18 min
11

Operating Expense Ratio

The Operating Expense Ratio (OER) is a financial metric that measures a property's operational efficiency by comparing its total operating expenses to its gross operating income.

Intermediate13-14 min
12

Debt Service Coverage Ratio

The Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) is a financial metric used in commercial real estate lending to assess a property's ability to generate sufficient Net Operating Income (NOI) to cover its annual mortgage debt payments.

Advanced15-18 min
13

Net Present Value

Net Present Value (NPV) is a financial metric that calculates the difference between the present value of cash inflows and outflows, used to evaluate the profitability of a potential investment by accounting for the time value of money.

Intermediate15-18 min
14

Net Operating Income

Net Operating Income (NOI) is a key real estate metric representing a property's annual income after deducting all operating expenses, but before accounting for debt service, income taxes, and capital expenditures.

Intermediate11-12 min
15

Mortgage Payment

A regular, typically monthly, payment made by a borrower to a lender to repay a home loan, usually comprising principal, interest, property taxes, and homeowners insurance (PITI).

Intermediate13-14 min
16

Capitalization Rate

The Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate) is a real estate valuation metric used to estimate the potential rate of return on an investment property, calculated by dividing its Net Operating Income (NOI) by its current market value.

Intermediate14-15 min
17

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses are the ongoing costs of running and maintaining a real estate investment property, excluding mortgage principal and interest payments, and capital expenditures.

Beginner13-14 min
18

Debt Service

Debt service is the total amount of principal and interest payments required to repay a loan over a specific period, typically for a mortgage or other property-related financing.

Beginner11-12 min