Definition of "Capital expenditure"

Song Hong real estate agent

Written by

Song Hongelite badge icon

Rebate Realty Usa

The capital expenditure definition is an evaluation method of investments that a company of any kind, including real estate developments, makes to maintain or upgrade tangible assets. These tangible assets are financial outlays that improve or sustain the company’s scope of operations and increase the full value of the property. 

Some of the Capital Expenditures in real estate

Capital expenditures in real estate include investments that increase the value of the property. Installing an innovative solar roof is seen as capital expenditure, a new swimming pool for your tenants or vacationers can also increase the value, intense renovations, a new spa, a new gym, etc. Capital expenditures are not seen as losses from profit but investments in the property.

What Does Capital Expenditures Tell Investors?

When investors look at real estate investments, they consider the property’s net operating income (NOI), telling them how profitable the property can be. The reason they look at it is that from NOI, they can see what the margin of profit is once the operating expenses (OPEX) are subtracted. Once they have the capital expenditure (CapEx) potential, what can go to investments, they see the property’s potential to grow.

The CapEx also tells real estate investors how much they actually invest. While the full potential of investment would be the NOI, any company that wants to succeed needs an actual profit. But this is where it can get tricky. It is the investor’s decision how much they are willing to finance in the CapEx.

Something that might help investors differentiate CapEx from OPEX is that OPEX is deductible expenses while CapEx is mentioned in the balance sheet, not in the income statement. CapEx might also appear in the real estate property’s cash-flow statement as investments and is often cited as PP&E (property, plant, and equipment). From the cash-flow statement, an investor can see previous investments in the property and check if investment grew or decreased.

The Formula for calculating Capital Expenditures:

Besides adding all the costs of investments, CapEx has a formula.

Capital Expenditures = PP&E Costs + Current Depreciation

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Part of something such as the units making up a heating or air conditioning system in a building. ...

Payment made by the tenant to the landlord for the right to use property, such as an apartment or office. ...

See concrete block. ...

In short, an overage means a surplus or an excess of money. An overage can present itself at a property at an auction where the asset has gone over the asking price. Suppose there’s a ...

" A metal plate attached to the lower end of a door to prevent marring from people "kicking" the door in order to open it. A metal plate mounted on the open edge of a stairs platform." ...

Managing partner of a limited partnership who is in charge of its operations. A general partner has unlimited liability. Member of a partnership who is jointly and severally liable for ...

The abstraction method is a valuation procedure used to determine the land value relative to the total market value of the property. The abstraction approach is most often used when there ...

Performance of a complete inventory of real property within a jurisdiction. A cadastral program produces the cadastral map. ...

Depressed, poorly kept locality that may include vacant businesses. It may be a high crime area. The people living in the area are typically poor and there may also be homeless people. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions