1% Rule in Real Estate: What It Is, How It Works, Examples

What Exactly Is the 1% Rule?

The one percent rule, sometimes known as the "1% rule," is used to calculate if the monthly rent received from an investment property will be greater than the monthly mortgage payment on that property. The rule's objective is to guarantee that the rent will be higher than or, at the very least, equal to the mortgage payment, allowing the investor to at least break even on the investment.

Key Lessons:

• To ensure that the investor at least breaks even on the property, the rent demanded should be equal to or higher than the mortgage payment.
• We can calculate the monthly base rent by multiplying the cost of the property (including any repairs) by 1%.
• An investor should ideally look for a home loan with monthly installments under 1%.

The one percent guideline can serve as a starting point for determining the amount of rent that owners of commercial real estate should charge for available space. All tenants in residential and commercial real estate properties are subject to this rent level.

An in-depth examination of a variety of criteria is necessary before buying a piece of real estate as an investment. One assessment method that might assist a potential investor in determining the risk and potential reward of the property is the one percent rule.

One Percent Rule in Action

This straightforward computation adds 1% to the property's purchase price as well as any required repairs. The result is a monthly rent starting point. It is compared to the possible monthly mortgage payment to help the owner better comprehend the property's monthly cash flow.

Because it doesn't account for additional costs related to a piece of property, such as maintenance, insurance, and taxes, this method is only used for quick calculation.

An illustration of the 1% Rule

An investor wants to get a mortgage loan for a rental property with a $200,000 total payment value. The owner would calculate a $2,000 monthly rent payment using the one percent rule: $200,000 multiplied by 1%. In this scenario, the investor would look for a home loan with monthly payments that were under and in no way over $2,000 per month.

One Percent Rule Compared to Other Methods of Calculation

The one percent guideline aids in providing an investor with a starting point from which to evaluate further aspects of property ownership. The gross rent multiplier, which uses the monthly rent level to estimate how long the investment will take to pay off, is a second crucial metric. One nTo arrive at this calculation, one needs to divide the total amount borrowed by the monthly rent investor would split $200,000 by $2,000 in the case of the $200,000 house. This results in a payout term for the investment of 100 months, or just over 8.3 years. The gross rent multiplier can also be used by investors to determine the parameters of the loan's payment schedule.

According to the "70% rule," an investor should not sell out more than 70% of the home's projected value after repairs and other expenses.

Particular Considerations

The rental rates in the neighborhood where the property is located must also be taken into account when determining the gross rent multiplier. The investor could have to consider lowering the rent if, in this case, the buyer's average monthly rent in the area is less than $2,000 to guarantee they find a tenant.

The property's maintenance is a further vital consideration. Maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the property owner. While a deposit may cover significant losses, it's still crucial for the owner to set aside a certain portion of the rent each month for maintenance. If it is not used, it may increase revenues, and the money would be there if any maintenance requirements arose.

In general, long-term investors may find success in real estate investing. The number of rent tenants is expected to pay is determined by the basic rent an owner charges for any kind of property. To control inflation and other expenditures related to the property, owners often increase rent each year, but the base rate is a crucial threshold that determines the overall return on investment.

The Conclusion

The one percent rule comes in handy for investors all over the globe as it helps the investors to imply the correct amount of rent on the mortgaged property so the profit is guaranteed for the property. It helps to put forth a value for rent that is equal to, if not more than the mortgage payment of the property which helps the owner to at least break even on the investment.