Definition of "Capitalization rate"

Natalie Bell real estate agent

Written by

Natalie Bellelite badge icon

Keating Real Estate

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.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

CE Shop has become a widely used and popular term in real estate. But what does it mean? “CE” stands for continuing education, and in the real estate business, it implies a ...

Way of selling real estate in which a syndicator sells equity interests to investors. Examples include a real estate investment trust, limited partnership, and corporation. For example, a ...

Written proposals and acceptances applicable to the aspects of the transaction. The escrow agent must follow the purchase and sale agreement. ...

Sheet metal, often made of aluminum, used to cover a structure's open masonry or wood joints. The purpose of flashing is to prevent the penetration of water as well as to provide a drainage ...

Wood strip on the top of a baseboard. ...

We call a concept ostensible when, at first sight, it appears to be accurate or valid. However, upon closer inspection, it proves to be a half-truth or completely false. For instance, Dale ...

Any structure projecting from a wall or other vertical element for the purpose of providing support for a weight or other object. ...

The United States has a law named “eminent domain” that grants local, state, or federal government the right to take ownership of a private property with or without the consent ...

Insurance coverage for any risk that can cause physical damage to the insured item. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions