The 50% Rule in Real Estate: What It Is & Why It’s Used

In real estate investment, there’s a rule called the 50% rule. It’s a quick way to guess that about half of what you make from a property will be eaten up by operating costs. It’s a handy starting point for how much cash you might pocket from a rental. Many real estate owners follow this rule, and you can also implement it for your business. We wrote this article to help you understand this rule. 

What is the 50% Rule in Real Estate? 

The 50% Rule in real estate is a quick rule of thumb for investors and property owners to guess how much they’ll spend on running a rental property. It says that about half of what you make from rent will go towards operating expenses. The other half? That’s your net operating income (NOI). 

Let’s say you have a rental property that earns $20,000 a month. 

Let’s apply this 50% rule. It means you should figure about half of that, so $10,000 will cover property taxes, insurance, keeping the place up, fixing things when they break, any gaps when no one’s renting, paying someone to manage it, and bills. 

The other $10,000? You might pocket that profit before considering the mortgage or taxes.

How Does the 50% Rule Work? 

The 50% Rule provides a quick and rough estimate of the expenses of owning and operating a rental property. Here’s how it typically works:

It starts with determining the total rental income the property generates monthly or yearly. This is the money you receive from tenants for renting out the property. 

According to the rule, approximately 50% of the gross rental income will be allocated toward operating expenses. These expenses include various costs associated with maintaining and managing the property. 

For example:

• Property taxes
• Insurance premiums
• Maintenance and repairs
• Vacancy costs (lost rental income during periods when the property is unoccupied)
• Property management fees (if you hire a property manager)
• Utilities (if you, as the landlord, are responsible for paying them)
• Other miscellaneous expenses related to property ownership

After subtracting the estimated operating expenses from the gross rental income, you arrive at the property’s net operating income. This is the amount left over before accounting for mortgage payments or taxes. 

Finally, the NOI part comes. NOI indicates the property’s profitability. Investors can compare the NOI to their mortgage payments and other financial obligations to determine if the property generates sufficient income to cover expenses and provide a desirable return on investment.

Example of 50% Rule 

Now that we know how the 50% rule works let’s look at a simple example of how it is calculated in real estate. Suppose you own a rental property that earns $4,000 monthly in gross rental income. To apply the rule:

Firstly, we determine the gross rental income, which is $4,000 monthly.

Next, we estimate the operating expenses using the 50% Rule. This means we anticipate that around half of the gross rental income will be spent on various property ownership and management costs. So, operating expenses would be:

Operating Expenses = Gross Rental Income * 0.5

= $4,000 * 0.5

= $2,000 per month.

After estimating the operating expenses, we subtract this amount from the gross rental income to find the property’s net operating income (NOI). Therefore:

NOI = Gross Rental Income – Operating Expenses

= $4,000 – $2,000

= $2,000 per month.

In this scenario, the net operating income (NOI) before considering mortgage payments, taxes, and other financial obligations is $2,000 per month. This represents the income generated by the property after accounting for operating expenses.

Following this calculation, you would evaluate the NOI to determine the property’s profitability and suitability as an investment. You could compare the NOI to mortgage payments, taxes, and other expenses to ensure the property generates adequate income to cover its costs and provide a desirable return on investment.

Why it 50% Rule Matters For Real Estate Investors

The 50% Rule is important for real estate investors – it’s like a quick hack to estimate the costs of owning and managing rental properties. 

Think of it this way: you take about half of what you make from rent and assume that’s going to cover all the stuff you need to pay for, like taxes, insurance, keeping the place in good shape, any empty months,, and paying someone to manage it all. 

The 50% Rule can be a quick and easy method to determine if a real estate investment is worth considering. It helps investors identify good opportunities and provides some leeway for unexpected costs or market fluctuations. 

Additionally, the 50% Rule can be an excellent tool for beginners who want to learn more about the financial aspects of property ownership. Although not foolproof, it provides a solid starting point for investors to make informed decisions and better manage their portfolios.

Is 50% Rule Accurate in Real Estate? 

Now, the big question is, is this 50% rule accurate? The accuracy of the 50% Rule in real estate can vary depending on several factors. While it is a convenient guideline for estimating operating expenses, it may not always reflect the actual costs associated with owning and managing a rental property. 

The rule’s simplicity allows investors to evaluate potential cash flow and profitability quickly, but it oversimplifies the complexities of real estate expenses. Actual expenses can differ significantly based on property location, age, condition, market conditions, and management efficiency. 

Additionally, some expenses, such as property taxes and insurance premiums, may vary widely depending on local regulations and market trends. Therefore, the 50% Rule can be a helpful starting point for initial analysis. 

However, investors should conduct thorough due diligence and assess individual property characteristics to accurately assess operating expenses and potential returns.

How to Use 50% Rule in Your Real Estate Business

If you know the gross rent from the property, you can take half of that to ballpark your net operating income. After that, subtract the extra stuff like mortgage or HOA fees to see what your cash flow might look like. Then, check if that number hits your cash flow goals to figure out if the investment is a good fit for you.

Sure, there’s more to think about than just the 50% rule regarding real estate. You’ve got to consider how taxes, insurance, repairs, maintenance, and utilities might go up over time and how that could match up with higher rent prices. With rising inflation, property owners can bump up rent, which is a plus, but it also means shelling out more to keep the property.

Finally, it’s super important to research the rental market where your potential property is, like checking out how rental prices are moving, whether people want to live there, and how fantastic the area is. 

Remember to look up how much property is worth, what insurance might cost, and what you’ll be paying for utilities to get a good grip on what renting a rental could set you back.

Final Thoughts

When investing in property, knowing the basic rules that can guide you is important. One such rule is the “50% rule,” which we’ve covered here. However, there are other rules to follow, and we’ll cover more in upcoming blogs. 

While the 50% rule isn’t 100% perfect and has some flaws, as we discussed earlier, it can still be a helpful tool for quickly estimating a rental property’s expected profitability. Remember that there are other factors to consider, but knowing these basic rules can be a good starting point.