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
To pass property by will to an heir. Strictly speaking, real estate cannot be bequeathed to an heir, it must be devised. However, if it becomes clear the purpose of the testator was to ...
Real estate business owned by one person having all the rights and obligations. ...
Situation in which a purchaser acquires mortgaged property and continues to pay the mortgagee for the debt outstanding. Although the new buyer continues to pay the mortgagee for the debt ...
Lease where, in addition to the rent, the lessee pays the taxes, insurance, and maintenance. As a guarantee for the lessor, the lessee posts a bond payment equivalent to one year's tax, ...
Same as term one-hundred-percent location: Precisely the optimum location for a retail business establishment in an urban central business district (CBD). A one-hundred-percent-location ...
Also called trust deed. A document that conveys title to a neutral third party during the period in which the mortgage loan is outstanding as collateral for a debt. ...
Capital appreciation financial goals set by a company or an individual over an extended period of time. Long-term capital goals establish a method for achieving the capital goal outcome ...
The initial lessee of rented property who then leases it to a subtenant. ...
Also called triple net lease. The lessee pays not only a fixed rental charge but also expenses on the tented property, including maintenance. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.