Definition of "Capitalization rate"

Natalie Bell real estate agent

Written by

Natalie Bellelite badge icon

Keating Real Estate

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.

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

The definition of acoustical materials is a wide range of materials that are used in construction or technology to provide soundproofing. There are different types of acoustic materials ...

Arrears is a legal and financial term used to describe payments in regards to their due dates. While the term is more often used to refer to a contractual obligation or liability that was ...

Real property that is without any obligations, liens, or anything else against it. It is free and clear such as a house without mortgage. ...

Insurance coverage provided for an individual having a lease at a favorable rate, one which is less than the market value of the property. The insurance indemnifies the tenant for business ...

Person who leases rented premises from the initial lessee. The sublease is for a time not exceeding the original lease period. ...

Something that has been built and physically exists at a specified location, such as a building, garage, etc. Something consisting of related parts, such as the organization and terms of ...

A four-unit building with four tenants in a condominium type of ownership and management. ...

The result of an act or a fact. ...

Financial institution that channels the savings of its depositors mostly into mortgage and home improvement loans. It concentrates on originating , servicing, and holding mortgage loans. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions