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
The income earned on an investment, typically stated as a percentage of the market price ...
Transactions taking place between individuals who are alive rather than when one of the parties is either dead (e.g., estate) or is contemplating death. For example, a deed may transfer ...
A will where the decedent's nomination of an executor/executrix is flawed, requiring an administrator to be appointed by the court and annexed to the will. ...
A clearly stated notice that an owner or operator will not assume responsibility for an inherent risk. For example, at a parking garage, a large notice of nonresponsability clearly states ...
A freehold equity in a n estate, restricted to the duration of the life of the grantee or other stipulated individual. ...
Individuals, homeowners, and businesses often engage in disputes and conflicts that require fast resolution. However, everybody seeks to avoid legal proceedings. One amicable way to address ...
Additional utility an individual receives when purchasing an additional unit of a commodity or service. Represents a trade off between units of cost and unit of utility. For example, an ...
The total expenditures required to make a locality suitable for the designated purpose. An example is how much it would cost to build a shopping center on a lot. ...
Metal or wood channel attached immediately below or along the eaves of a building for the purpose of channeling rainwater away from the structure. The gutter prevents rain runoff from ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.