Capitalization Rate
Definition of "Capitalization rate"
Also known as “cap rate” or “income yield”, Capitalization Rate is a useful way to compute the rate of return on a real estate investment. It is commonly used in the Income approach to determine the Market Value of a property.
Say you want to buy a property just to rent it and make a profit. You will be advised to discover the cap rate of that property in order to calculate what you will approximately earn renting that property to a Tenant.
To discover the capitalization rate of a property, divide the Net Operating Income (NOI) by the amount you’ll pay to acquire that property. In short, the capitalization rate is the value that one property produces divided by the value that property costs.
Here’s an example to better visualize it:
A building is for sale. It cost $100,000 when it was built 20 years ago. And it produces - between residential and commercial rent - $50,000 a year. The capitalization rate is 50,000/100,000, which equals 0.5%.
An important thing to realize regarding the cap rate is that it does not take into consideration the depreciation of a property. That’s why, when valuing a house, it’s crucial for an Appraiser to use all methods of evaluation appropriate to the case.
Real Estate Tips:
Maybe just learning a new term won't be enough to solve your situation. Check out our real estate questions; perhaps someone else has gone through what you're going through!
Or just head to The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® and leave it to the pros.
Popular Real Estate Terms
Appraisal method that examines current and future economic conditions in a particular location to help in deriving property values ...
Low level of land positioned between mountains or hills. ...
Appropriateness of the soil for the designated purposes. An example is soil suitable for the growing of vegetables and fruit, or grazing for horses. ...
Concrete or timber beam that serves as a support in the wall structure of a building. Concrete tie beams are often reinforced with steel rods. ...
Lender has an equity interest in the property that is the subject of the loan. The lender shares in the increase in market price of the property as well as any net income generated. ...
Danger, hazard, risk, or peril. For example, jeopardizing a piece of property by pledging it as collateral for a loan. ...
System for human waste disposal where sewers do not exist. Pipes transport waste into septic tank and a leaching field purifies the fluids that come out of the septic tank before they join ...
Documentation of zoning requirements and changes thereto. ...
Investment made rationally and intelligently as would be expected by a professional person. A reasonable degree of safety and return are expected. A example is an office building with 99% ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.