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Request early access →Most landlords know what they collect.
Few know what they actually earn.
A rental property's return isn't just monthly cash flow.
It includes:
- Cash flow
- Principal paydown
- Appreciation
- Total return
Your Rental Returns combines them into one clear picture — updated as you type.
You think
Monthly cash flow = $165
Reality
Annual total return = $14,646
- Cash Flow$1,980
- Principal Paydown$3,066
- Appreciation$9,600
Most landlords only track the first number.
Annual Total Return
$14,646
Cash flow + principal paydown + appreciation
Monthly Cash Flow
$165
After mortgage and operating costs
Total Equity
$112,000
Current value minus loan balance
Property Inputs
Enter your numbers below — results update instantly.
Saved only in this browser. Export a backup if you want to keep your data.
Ignored — included in mortgage / escrow payment above.
Ignored — included in mortgage / escrow payment above.
Return Results
The page leads with the answer first, then breaks down where the return comes from.
Annual Total Return
$14,646
Cash flow + principal paydown + appreciation.
Cash-on-Cash Return
3.6%
Annual cash flow vs down payment.
Monthly Cash Flow
$165
After mortgage, taxes, insurance, and reserves.
Cap Rate
7.0%
NOI divided by current property value.
Annual Cash Flow
$1,980
NOI minus annual mortgage payments.
NOI
$22,356
Net operating income before debt service.
Estimated Annual Principal Paydown
$3,066
Next 12 months of loan amortization.
Appreciation Gain
$9,600
3.0% of current value.
Equity
$112,000
Current value minus loan balance.
Return on Equity
13.1%
Total return vs current equity.
Swipe horizontally to see all columns →
| Year | Cash Flow | Principal Paid | Appreciation | Total Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,980 | $3,066 | $9,600 | $14,646 |
| 2 | $1,980 | $3,223 | $9,888 | $15,091 |
| 3 | $1,980 | $3,387 | $10,185 | $15,552 |
| 4 | $1,980 | $3,560 | $10,490 | $16,031 |
| 5 | $1,980 | $3,742 | $10,805 | $16,527 |
Property Summary
Your current scenario at a glance — one property, updated live.
Your Property
$263,000 purchase · $320,000 current value
- Monthly Cash Flow
- $165
- Total Equity
- $112,000
- Annual Return
- $14,646
Operating
Before mortgage
- NOI
- $22,356
- Cap Rate
- 7.0%
- Vacancy
- 5.0%
Returns
Annual metrics
- Cash-on-Cash
- 3.6%
- Return on Equity
- 13.1%
- Principal Paydown
- $3,066
Key Metrics
Live outputs from your current inputs.
Monthly Cash Flow
$165
Current property
Total Equity
$112,000
Value minus loan balance
Annual Total Return
$14,646
Cash flow + principal paydown + appreciation
Return on Equity
13.1%
Total return vs equity
Metric Comparison
How cash flow, appreciation, and cap rate compare.
Monthly cash flow
After all operating costs
$165
Annual appreciation
3.0% on current value
$9,600
Principal paydown
Estimated over the next 12 months
$3,066
Cap rate
NOI vs current property value
7.0%
Return Insights
At-a-glance signals from your scenario.
- Cash-on-cash return3.6%
- Principal paydown$3,066
- NOI$22,356
How returns are calculated
Plain-language definitions for the metrics on this page.
Annual total return
Cash flow + principal paydown + appreciation — the full picture, not just rent minus mortgage.
Principal paydown
Equity you build each year as the loan balance drops, estimated from the next 12 months of amortization.
Net operating income (NOI)
Effective rent minus operating expenses, before mortgage payments.
True vs. surface return
Cap rate and cash-on-cash are useful — but total return is what answers whether the property is actually working.
PITI vs P&I-only mortgage payments
A PITI payment bundles principal, interest, taxes, and insurance into one monthly amount — common when your lender collects escrow. A P&I-only payment covers just the loan. If your entered mortgage is PITI, enable the escrow toggle so taxes and insurance aren't also counted as separate operating expenses. If you pay taxes and insurance directly, disable the toggle and enter them below.
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