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50% Rule Calculator

Estimate operating expenses as half of rent — the back-of-envelope NOI and cash flow before you have real numbers.

$—
Estimated expenses
$—
Estimated monthly NOI
$—
Estimated cash flow

Formula

expenses ≈ 50% of rent (excl. mortgage); CF = rent/2 − P&I

Fifty percent sounds extreme until you add taxes, insurance, repairs, capex reserves, vacancy, management, utilities, turnover — across years it converges there. The rule's job is killing fantasy pro-formas in ten seconds; verified actuals replace it at offer time.

References: Long-run expense ratio studies (IREM/NAA)

Not financial advice — for informational and analytical use only. Verify all figures with a qualified professional before acting on them.

Need 50% rule calculator results fast? Analysts, founders, traders and finance professionals use the 50% Rule Calculator to skip the spreadsheet and get a defensible answer in one step — free, private and instant.

About 50% Rule Calculator

Estimate operating expenses as half of rent — the back-of-envelope NOI and cash flow before you have real numbers. Fifty percent sounds extreme until you add taxes, insurance, repairs, capex reserves, vacancy, management, utilities, turnover — across years it converges there. The rule's job is killing fantasy pro-formas in ten seconds; verified actuals replace it at offer time. The governing relationship is expenses ≈ 50% of rent (excl. mortgage); CF = rent/2 − P&I. The 50% Rule Calculator computes entirely in your browser — free, private (your figures never leave your device) and instant, recalculating live as you change any input.

How to use 50% Rule Calculator

  1. 1Enter Monthly rent (currency), Expense percentage (%), Monthly mortgage (P&I) (currency) into the 50% Rule Calculator.
  2. 2The result is computed automatically using expenses ≈ 50% of rent (excl. mortgage); CF = rent/2 − P&I — there is no button to press.
  3. 3Change any input to model a different scenario, then copy or share the result.

Why use 50% Rule Calculator?

  • Computes 50% rule calculator instantly with the correct formula — no spreadsheet needed
  • 100% free and unlimited, with no sign-up, login or paywall
  • Runs entirely in your browser, so the figures you enter stay private
  • Shows the formula, a live worked example and references so you can defend the number

Frequently asked questions

What is the formula behind the 50% Rule Calculator?+

50% Rule Calculator uses expenses ≈ 50% of rent (excl. mortgage); CF = rent/2 − P&I. Fifty percent sounds extreme until you add taxes, insurance, repairs, capex reserves, vacancy, management, utilities, turnover — across years it converges there. The tool substitutes your actual inputs into this relationship and shows the worked example step by step.

What inputs does the 50% Rule Calculator need?+

Enter Monthly rent (currency), Expense percentage (%), Monthly mortgage (P&I) (currency) and the result updates immediately — there is no button to press. Change any value to model a different scenario in real time.

Is the 50% Rule Calculator free, and is my data private?+

Yes — it is completely free with no sign-up or usage limit, and it runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter are never uploaded or stored on any server. It is for informational and analytical use, not financial advice.

What should I watch out for when using the 50% Rule Calculator?+

The rule's job is killing fantasy pro-formas in ten seconds; verified actuals replace it at offer time.

What is the 50% Rule Calculator based on?+

The method follows authoritative sources: Long-run expense ratio studies (IREM/NAA). The formula and references are shown on the page so you can verify and cite the result.

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