Net Present Value Method

A method widely used for evaluating real estate projects. Under the net present value method, the present value (PV) of all cash inflows from the project is compared against the initial investment (I). The net present value (NPV) which is the difference between the present value and the initial investment (i.e., NPV=PV-I), determines whether or not the project is an acceptable investment. To compute the present value of cash inflows, a rate, called the cost of capital is used for discounting. Under the method, if the net present value is positive (NPV>0 or PV.I), the project should be accepted.