Writing
Our Writing, Sorted By Who It’s For
Guides for public and institutional owners are in progress. Our earlier posts cover investment property basics; we keep them below as a reference.
Public & Institutional Owners
Guides For Owners Who Answer To A Board Are In Progress
Until they are published, start with the glossary: plain definitions of the terms in a condition report and a capital plan.
Open the glossaryReal Estate Investing Basics
Earlier Writing On Investment Property
We wrote these for owners of rental and investment property. We keep them online as a reference: the measures they cover, such as net operating income and loan coverage, are the same ones our asset strategy work uses.
How to Choose Real Estate Portfolio Management Software
The best portfolio software depends on what you actually need. Here are the categories of tools, the features that matter, and how to match them to your portfolio.
How to Track Rental Property Expenses
Tracking expenses is what separates a real return from a guessed one. Here are the categories that matter, the operating-vs-capital line, and a system that scales.
DSCR Loans Explained: How They Work for Investors
A DSCR loan qualifies you on the property's income, not your personal income. Here is how DSCR loans work, what they cost, and when they beat a conventional mortgage.
When to Refinance a Rental Property
Refinancing a rental can lower your rate, pull out equity, or both — but timing matters. Here are the signals that say go, the costs to weigh, and the traps to avoid.
Spreadsheets vs Real Estate Portfolio Software
Spreadsheets run most real estate portfolios until they quietly stop scaling. Here is an honest look at where spreadsheets win, where they break, and when to switch.
Real Estate Portfolio Management: A Practical Guide
Managing one rental is bookkeeping; managing a portfolio is strategy. Here is a practical framework for tracking performance, debt, capital, and risk across properties.
FCI (Facility Condition Index): What It Is and How to Use It
FCI scores a building's physical condition by comparing deferred maintenance to replacement value. Here is the formula, how to read the score, and why it matters.
After Repair Value (ARV): How to Calculate It
ARV is what a property will be worth once renovations are done. Here is how to estimate it from comps, the 70% rule investors use, and the mistakes that sink flips.
What Is a Good LTV for a Rental Property?
LTV is the share of a property's value carried by debt. Here is how to calculate it, what lenders expect on rentals, and how it trades off against your returns.
Cap Rate vs Cash-on-Cash Return: Which One Matters?
Cap rate and cash-on-cash return answer different questions about the same deal. Here is how each works, why they diverge, and when to trust which number.
How to Analyze a Rental Property in 7 Steps
Learn how to analyze a rental property in 7 steps: income, expenses, NOI, cap rate, DSCR, cash-on-cash return, and a stress test that ties the deal together.
NOI (Net Operating Income): How to Calculate It
Net operating income is what a property earns after operating expenses but before the mortgage. Here is the NOI formula, a worked example, and what it excludes.
Cash-on-Cash Return: Formula and Why It Matters
Cash-on-cash return measures the cash profit you earn on the cash you actually put into a deal. Here is the formula, a worked example, and what counts as good.
Cap Rate Explained: Formula, Examples, and What's a Good Cap Rate
Cap rate is the yield a property earns before financing. Here is the formula, a worked example, and how to tell what counts as a good cap rate in your market.
How to Calculate DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio)
DSCR tells you whether a property's income covers its loan payments. Here is the formula, a worked example, and the thresholds lenders actually use to approve deals.
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