What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset (2024)

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset (1)

There are several metrics you can use to evaluate whether a rental property investment has potential, including the 2% rule. When used with the property’s capitalization rate this rule helps investors get a sense of what a property’s rental income should be as a percentage of the purchase price. Understanding this rule and how to use it can make it easier to evaluate whether a particular rental property may be right for you.

A financial advisor can help you create a financial plan for your real estate investment needs and goals.

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate?

This is a general rule of thumb that determines a base level of rental income a rental property should generate.Following the 2% rule, an investor can expect to realize a gross yield from a rental property if the monthly rent is at least 2% of the purchase price.

To calculate the 2% rule for a rental property you need to know the property’s price. You could then take that number and multiply it by 0.02.For example, say your budget for purchasing an investment property is $175,000. If you multiply $175,000 by 0.02, you’d get $3,500. That dollar amount represents the minimum or gross yield you would need to rent the property for.

The 2% rule is a variation of the 1% rule, which says that a property’s rental income should be at least 1% of its purchase price. If you were applying the 1% rule to the property in the previous example, the rental property would have a better chance of making a good investment.

Using the 2% Rule

The 2% rule should be the first step in determining whether a prospective rental property would be a good investment. For example, it does not, when used alone, tell you how much more than that amount will be needed to cover operating expenses. These include taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance. Adding these operating expenses to the projected gross yield renders net operating income (NOI), which is all the revenue a property generates over the course of a year minus the total amount of money required to maintain it.

Once you’ve calculated the NOI, you’ll need to divide that number by the property’s sale price and multiply it by 100 to get what’s called the capitalization rate (or cap rate). For example, let’s say you’re considering a property that’s priced at $350,000 and the NOI comes to $25,000 a year. The cap rate in that scenario would be just over 7%, which is the amount of profit you could reasonably expect to see from year to year.

Limits to the 2% Rule in Real Estate

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset (2)

There are some important limits to the utility of the 2% rule. For openers, this rule is only the start of measuring a property’s cash flow potential. There are several things the calculation cannot tell you. It won’t tell you how vacancy rates for a particular property may affect the property’s ability to generate rental income. Nor will it tell you how much you might need to invest initially to get the property rental ready. Additionally, it doesn’t tell you what you may have to pay in homeowners association fees, which may adjust annually.

In other words, while the 2% rule can be a good starting point, it’s really just the tip of the iceberg in determining whether a rental property is a good investment.

Other Factors to Evaluate in Assessing Rental Properties

Finding a good investment opportunity isn’t an exact science and there are several things to weigh when choosing a rental property. If you’ve done an initial 2% rule calculation and found a property that looks promising, the next step is taking a closer look under the hood.

You can start by looking at the condition of the local market. For example, are rental rates increasing or have they stabilized? What’s the typical going rent for properties that are comparable in terms of size, age, condition and features? It’s also helpful to consider vacancy rates for the area. How supportive are local authorities to landlords seeking to evict tenants who don’t pay rent or otherwise violate terms of their lease agreement.

Rising rents and low vacancy rates can indicate strong demand for rental housing, which is a good thing if you’re concerned about the property sitting empty for long periods of time. Aside from that, you can look at the desirability of the area and what type of renters it’s attracting.

Good schools, low crime and convenient access to shopping and other amenities can be strong attractors for renters. The more appealing an area is, the more you might be able to charge for rent. However, it’s important to weigh all of that against your costs. That includes what you’ll pay for a mortgage if you’re not buying a property with cash, how much it’ll cost to maintain the property and the going property tax rates.

Finally, consider what’s happening with the housing market and the economy as a whole. Renting and commanding higher rental rates is typically easier to do when the economy is booming. If there are hints that a recession might be waiting in the wings or inflation is pushing up the price of maintaining a rental property that could affect the level of profits you’re able to bring in.

The Bottom Line

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset (3)

The 2% rule is just one guideline you can use to decide if a rental property investment is worth your time and money. Consider it as a starting point in your analysis of a prospective rental property.

It’s important to remember that while a property may look good on the surface, you’ll still want to perform your due diligence to confirm that it’s a worthwhile investment.

Investing Tips

  • Consider talking to your financial advisor about how to use the 2% rule to evaluate rental properties. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one doesn’t have to be complicated.SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals,get started now.
  • If you’d like to reap the benefits of rental property investing without owning property, there are a few ways to do it. A real estate investment trust (REIT), for example, owns and manages rental property investments. When you invest in a REIT, you can collect dividend income passively without having to worry about managing properties firsthand. Real estate crowdfunding allows you to pool money with other investors while leaving the management of the property to someone else. Finally, you might consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that concentrate their holdings on real estate investments.

Photo credit: ©iStock/fizkes, ©iStock/FG Trade, ©iStock/fizkes

Rebecca Lake, CEPF® Rebecca Lake is a retirement, investing and estate planning expert who has been writing about personal finance for a decade. Her expertise in the finance niche also extends to home buying, credit cards, banking and small business. She's worked directly with several major financial and insurance brands, including Citibank, Discover and AIG and her writing has appeared online at U.S. News and World Report, CreditCards.com and Investopedia. Rebecca is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and she also attended Charleston Southern University as a graduate student. Originally from central Virginia, she now lives on the North Carolina coast along with her two children.

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset (2024)

FAQs

What Is the 2% Rule in Real Estate? - SmartAsset? ›

This is a general rule of thumb that determines a base level of rental income a rental property should generate. Following the 2% rule, an investor can expect to realize a gross yield from a rental property if the monthly rent is at least 2% of the purchase price.

What is 2% rule in real estate? ›

2% Rule. The 2% rule is the same as the 1% rule – it just uses a different number. The 2% rule states that the monthly rent for an investment property should be equal to or no less than 2% of the purchase price. Here's an example of the 2% rule for a home with the purchase price of $150,000: $150,000 x 0.02 = $3,000.

What is the 2% rule in? ›

The 2% rule is an investing strategy where an investor risks no more than 2% of their available capital on any single trade. To apply the 2% rule, an investor must first determine their available capital, taking into account any future fees or commissions that may arise from trading.

What is 2% rule example? ›

One popular method is the 2% Rule, which means you never put more than 2% of your account equity at risk (Table 1). For example, if you are trading a $50,000 account, and you choose a risk management stop loss of 2%, you could risk up to $1,000 on any given trade.

What is the cap rate 2% rule? ›

The 1% rule states that a property's monthly rent must be at least 1% of its purchase price in order for the owner to break even. The 2% rule states that a property's monthly rent needs to be at least 2% of its purchase price in order for the owner to make a sustainable profit.

Is 2% rule realistic? ›

The 2% rule is a rule of thumb that determines how much rental income a property should theoretically be able to generate. Following the 2% rule, an investor can expect to realize a positive cash flow from a rental property if the monthly rent is at least 2% of the purchase price.

What is the 4 3 2 1 rule in real estate? ›

4-3-2-1 rule

The front quarter of the standard site receives 40% of the total value. The second quarter receives 30% of the total value. The third quarter receives 20% of the total value; and the rear quarter receives just 10% of the total value.

What is 7 7 7 rule? ›

RULE 7:7-7 - Discovery and Inspection. (a) Scope. If the government is represented by the municipal prosecutor or a private prosecutor in a cross complaint case, discovery shall be available to the parties only as provided by this rule, unless the court otherwise orders.

What is rule 1 and rule 2? ›

Rule 1: Be Attractive — Rule 2: Don't Be Unattractive.

What is the 2-2-2 2 rule? ›

Enter the 2-2-2 rule: Try and swing a date night every two weeks, a weekend away every two months and a week away every two years. The rule has its origins on a Reddit thread from 2015 and has in recent weeks reappeared on social media as a form of relationship advice.

What is the 2.50 short rule? ›

The NYSE has a rule (rule 431 (c) 2) that requires $2.50 in cash or margin for every stock below $2.50 per share sold short. A comparable rule does not exist for long positions. So if I want to buy 1000 shares of a penny stock trading at $0.40, I need $400 in cash or margin ability from marginable stocks.

What is Rule 72 example? ›

What is the Rule of 72? The Rule of 72 is a calculation that estimates the number of years it takes to double your money at a specified rate of return. If, for example, your account earns 4 percent, divide 72 by 4 to get the number of years it will take for your money to double. In this case, 18 years.

What is rule of 5 examples? ›

The divisibility rule of 5 states that if the digit on the units place, that is, the last digit of a given number is 5 or 0, then such a number is divisible by 5. For example, in 39865, the last digit is 5, hence, the number is completely divisible by 5.

Is 7% a good cap rate? ›

Average cap rates range from 4% to 10%. Generally, the higher the cap rate, the higher the risk. A cap rate above 7% may be perceived as a riskier investment, whereas a cap rate below 5% may be seen as a safer bet. If a property has a 10% cap rate, you should expect to recover your investment in about 10 years.

What does 7.5% cap rate mean? ›

A 7.5 cap rate means that you can expect a 7.5% annual gross income on the value of your property or investment. If your property's value is $150,000, a 7.5 cap rate will mean a yearly return of $11,250.

What is a good rate of return on rental property? ›

The 2% rule in real estate is another simple way to calculate ROI for rental properties. According to this rule, if the monthly rent for a rental property is at least 2% of its purchase price, then odds are it should generate positive cash flow.

What is the 50% rule in real estate investing? ›

The 50% rule in real estate says that investors should expect a property's operating expenses to be roughly 50% of its gross income. This is useful for estimating potential cash flow from a rental property, but it's not always foolproof.

What is the 0.8 rule in real estate? ›

This general guideline suggests that you charge around 1% (or within 0.8-1.1%) of your property's total market value as monthly rent payments. A property valued at $200,000, for instance, would rent for $2,000 a month, or within a range of $1,600-$2,200.

Does the 1% rule still work? ›

The 1% rule used to be a pretty good first metric to determine whether a property would likely make a good investment. With currently inflated home prices, the 1% rule no longer applies.

What is the 80% rule in real estate? ›

The 80% rule means that an insurer will only fully cover the cost of damage to a house if the owner has purchased insurance coverage equal to at least 80% of the house's total replacement value.

What is the 25 rule in real estate? ›

To calculate how much house you can afford, use the 25% rule—never spend more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay (after tax) on monthly mortgage payments.

What is the 10 rule in real estate? ›

A good rule is that a 1% increase in interest rates will equal 10% less you are able to borrow but still keep your same monthly payment. It's said that when interest rates climb, every 1% increase in rate will decrease your buying power by 10%. The higher the interest rate, the higher your monthly payment.

Which of the following is the general rule for 5 6 7 8? ›

This is an arithmetic sequence since there is a common difference between each term. In this case, adding 1 to the previous term in the sequence gives the next term. In other words, an=a1+d(n−1) a n = a 1 + d ( n - 1 ) . This is the formula of an arithmetic sequence.

What is the 7 1 rule? ›

Rule 7-1(21) of the Supreme Court Rules states that unless the court orders otherwise, if a party fails to make discovery of or produce for inspection or copying a document as required by this rule, the party may not put the document in evidence in the proceeding or use it for the purpose of examination or cross ...

What is the it rule of 7? ›

The divisibility rule of 7 states that, if a number is divisible by 7, then “the difference between twice the unit digit of the given number and the remaining part of the given number should be a multiple of 7 or it should be equal to 0”. For example, 798 is divisible by 7. Explanation: The unit digit of 798 is 8.

What is Rule 5? ›

Initial Appearance. (a) In General. (1) Appearance Upon an Arrest. (A) A person making an arrest within the United States must take the defendant without unnecessary delay before a magistrate judge, or before a state or local judicial officer as Rule 5(c) provides, unless a statute provides otherwise.

What is Rule 64? ›

Under Rule 64, a court may issue a writ or order for the seizure of property in order to secure the satisfaction of a judgment, to preserve the property, or for other reasons.

What is Rule Number 3? ›

Rule #3 is don't believe everything you read or hear or see. Fact-based story of a professional con artist who ran a scam on another well-to-do con artist. The title refers to the rules that a con artist lives by. Rule #3 is don't believe everything you read or hear or see.

What is the relationship 10 second rule? ›

You can minimize impulsive responses with a simple practice: take a slow, deliberate 8- to 10-second pause in the middle of your conversations, coffee breaks, or in traffic. During that pause, release tension by breathing deeply and give yourself permission to stop for 10 seconds.

What is the 2 7 dating rule? ›

The rule suggests the younger person in a relationship should be older than half the older person's age plus seven years in order for the relationship to be socially acceptable. For example, the youngest a 26-year-old person should date is 20. The beginnings of the rule are murky.

What is the 5 second rule couples? ›

Here is the 5 second rule: one person reads the topic on the card, and the other person has 5 seconds to name 3 things that fit the topic. Sounds easy but can be really difficult! Check out these funny scenes of the game on Ellen.

What is the 10% short rule? ›

The rule is triggered when a stock price falls at least 10% in one day. At that point, short selling is permitted if the price is above the current best bid. 1 This aims to preserve investor confidence and promote market stability during periods of stress and volatility.

What is 10% drop short rule? ›

The Short Sale Rule is an SEC rule that governs when and how stocks can be sold short. Briefly, the rule dictates that once a stock falls more than 10% from its previous close, that stock cannot be shorted at the bid price for the remainder of the current trading session or for the entirety of the next session.

What is the new rule for short selling? ›

The Uptick Rule is a financial regulation that requires short sales to be conducted at a higher price than the previous trade. "Short exempt" refers to a short sale order exempted from the uptick rule regulated under the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Regulation SHO.

How can I double 1000 dollars fast? ›

How To Flip 1,000 Dollars
  1. Buy And Resell Clothing. One popular option for flipping 1,000 dollars is to buy clothing to then resell online. ...
  2. Buy & Sell Collectibles. ...
  3. Start An Online Business. ...
  4. Amazon FBA. ...
  5. Invest In Real Estate. ...
  6. Invest In Dividend-Paying Stocks & ETFs. ...
  7. Stake Crypto. ...
  8. Rent Out Assets.
Mar 14, 2023

Can I double my money in 5 years? ›

As a rate of return, long-term mutual funds can offer rates between 12% and 15% per year. With these mutual funds, it may take between 5 and 6 years to double your money.

Does the Rule of 72 really work? ›

The Rule of 72 is reasonably accurate for low rates of return. The chart below compares the numbers given by the Rule of 72 and the actual number of years it takes an investment to double. Notice that although it gives an estimate, the Rule of 72 is less precise as rates of return increase.

What is rule number 4? ›

The “rule of four” is the Supreme Court's practice of granting a petition for review only if there are at least four votes to do so. The rule is an unwritten internal one; it is not dictated by any law or the Constitution.

What are the 5 10 15 rules? ›

Intermede Investment Partners employ a "5-10-15" rule when investing. "Five refers to a minimum 5% a year revenue growth, on average, annually. 10% is the annual EPS growth that we're looking for. And 15% is the ROE minimum threshold," explains Intermede CEO Barry Dargan.

What is rule 36 of the Internet? ›

Rule 36: Anonymous does not forgive. Rule 37: There are no girls on the internet. Rule 38: A cat is fine too. Rule 39: One cat leads to another. Rule 40: Another cat leads to zippocat.

Is a 4% cap rate bad? ›

That said, many analysts consider a "good" cap rate to be around 5% to 10%, while a 4% cap rate indicates lower risk but a longer timeline to recoup an investment.1 There are also other factors to consider, like the features of a local property market, and it is important not to rely on cap rate or any other single ...

Is 4% cap rate good? ›

Investors hoping for deals with a lower purchase price may, therefore, want a high cap rate. Following this logic, a cap rate between four and ten percent may be considered a “good” investment. According to Rasti Nikolic, a financial consultant at Loan Advisor, “in general though, 5% to 10% rate is considered good.

What does 4% cap rate mean? ›

For Example: If a building sells for $1M at a 4% cap, you then know the NOI is $40,000. 4% (Cap Rate) = X (NOI) / $1,000,000 (Purchase Price) X = $40,000.

Do sellers want a low cap rate? ›

Why do sellers want a low cap rate? Sellers want to maximize the value of the property they are selling. Because commercial real estate uses cap rates to value properties instead of comparable sales, a low cap rate means they're obtaining a high value for the property they're selling.

What cap rate is too high? ›

In real estate, a low (less than 5%) cap rate often reflects a lower risk profile, whereas a higher cap rate (greater than 7%) is often considered a riskier investment. Whether an investor deems a cap rate “good” is a direct reflection of whether or not they think the investment's return matches to the perceived risk.

What does an 8% cap rate mean? ›

Cap rates give investors a glance at the investment opportunity presented by a property. If the investment is offered at a 10% cap, you can expect to yield a 10% return; an 8% cap would yield an 8% return (both assuming you paid cash without financing).

Is 6% return on rental property good? ›

A good ROI for a rental property is typically more than 10%, but 5%–10% can also be acceptable. But the ROI may be lower in the first year, due to the upfront costs of buying a home.

Where is ROI the highest for real estate? ›

What Places in the US Offer the Highest ROI Real Estate?
  • Camden, NJ. Median Property Price: $185,611. Average Price per Square Foot: $138. ...
  • Chester, PA. Median Property Price: $204,580. ...
  • Miami Gardens, FL. Median Property Price: $307,519. ...
  • Springfield, MA. Median Property Price: $207,408. ...
  • Hialeah, FL. Median Property Price: $358,552.
Apr 28, 2022

How do I maximize my return on a rental property? ›

13 Tips for Maximizing Rental Income as a Landlord
  1. Resident-Proof Your Property.
  2. Purchase The Right Insurance.
  3. Crunch the Numbers.
  4. Create An LLC.
  5. Make Use Of Tax Breaks.
  6. Make Use Of A Written Lease Agreement.
  7. Choose Your Property Management Company Wisely.
  8. Purchase A Home Warranty.
Sep 8, 2022

What is the 5 and 2 real estate rule? ›

The 2-out-of-five-year rule states that you must have both owned and lived in your home for a minimum of two out of the last five years before the date of sale. However, these two years don't have to be consecutive, and you don't have to live there on the date of the sale.

What is the 2 2 2 rule for mortgage? ›

A good way to remember the documentation you'll need is to remember the 2-2-2 rule: 2 years of W-2s. 2 years of tax returns (federal and state) Your two most recent pay stubs.

What is Rule 70 in real estate? ›

The 70% rule can help flippers when they're scouring real estate listings for potential investment opportunities. Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home.

What is the 7% rule in real estate? ›

The top 7% are hustlers. If they don't know something, they'll learn it. If the heat is on, they'll put in the extra hours to make it happen. You don't have to know everything, everyone, have all the money, or talent, but if you'll apply those two principles, you'll do very well in real estate.

Is the 1% rule in real estate realistic? ›

The 1% rule is a guideline that real estate investors use to choose viable investment options for their portfolios. Although the rule has helped many investors make wise decisions regarding their investment properties, the current real estate market may make following the 1% rule unrealistic.

What is the 10 percent rule in real estate? ›

A good rule is that a 1% increase in interest rates will equal 10% less you are able to borrow but still keep your same monthly payment. It's said that when interest rates climb, every 1% increase in rate will decrease your buying power by 10%. The higher the interest rate, the higher your monthly payment.

What is the 1% rule in real estate? ›

How the One Percent Rule Works. This simple calculation multiplies the purchase price of the property plus any necessary repairs by 1%. The result is a base level of monthly rent. It's also compared to the potential monthly mortgage payment to give the owner a better understanding of the property's monthly cash flow.

What is the 1 3 rule mortgage? ›

As a rule of thumb, many people estimate they are able to afford a mortgage of 2 to 3 times their. household income. For example, if you annual income is $30,000, you might be able to afford a. mortgage of $60,000 to $75,000: $30,0000 X 2 = $60, 000.

What is the 20 rule in real estate? ›

The rule, applicable in many financial, commercial, and social contexts, states that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. For example, many researchers have found that: 80% of real estate deals are closed by 20% of the real estate teams.

What is the 4 rule in real estate? ›

This is a simple enough question and one many investors ask when checking on their progress toward retirement. The “4% rule” is a theory that states you should be able to retire and safely withdraw 4% of your savings every year and your money should last 30 years.

What is the golden formula in real estate? ›

In case you haven't heard of the so-called Golden Rule in house flipping, the 70% Rule states that your offer on a property should be no greater than 70% of the After Repair Value (ARV) minus the estimated repairs.

What is the rule of 35 in the real estate? ›

By law, lenders can't underwrite the loan unless they can determine the borrower will be able to pay up the loan. The whole idea behind the 35-percent rule of thumb is this: a borrower can afford no more than 35% of its monthly take-home pay.

What is the difference between the 3 property rule and the 200% rule? ›

3 Property Rule : Regardless of their fair market value, maximum 3 properties can be identified. 200% Rule: Regardless of the number of identified properties, their combined fair market value must not exceed 200% of the aggregate fair market value of all relinquished properties.

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