Calculate property comparison

Compare two rental properties on annual cash, leveraged net yield, and a simplified total return.

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ToolProperty Comparison Calculator
Input
Output
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How it works

For each property, annual rent loses running costs and 12 mortgage payments before cash flow is divided by purchase price for net yield. Assumed appreciation is then added to yield for total return; costs, finance, and growth default to 0 rather than being inferred.

Formula
net cash flow = rent × 12 − annual costs − mortgage payment × 12
total return = net yield + assumed appreciation
  • The three rankings are independent, so one property can lead on cash while another leads on yield.
  • Principal repayment is not added back as equity in this simplified comparison.

Worked example

A 180,000 flat against a 220,000 house
The flat yields more, the house produces more cash and a higher total return
Input
											A price: 180000
A monthly rent: 950
A annual running costs: 1200
A monthly mortgage payment: 400
A appreciation percent: 2
B price: 220000
B monthly rent: 1300
B annual running costs: 1800
B monthly mortgage payment: 650
B appreciation percent: 3
Output
												A net annual cash flow: 5400
A net yield percent: 3
A total return percent: 5
B net annual cash flow: 6000
B net yield percent: 2.73
B total return percent: 5.73
Higher cash flow: B
Higher yield: A
Higher total return: B

When to use this

Buy-to-let shortlists, landlord portfolio reviews, and investment memos compare absolute cash, price-relative income, and a separate capital-growth scenario.

Edge cases

  • High mortgage payments can make cash flow and net yield negative while assumed appreciation still makes total return positive.
  • Two properties within half a penny or 0.005 percentage point are labeled equal before display rounding.
  • Mortgage principal repayment is treated as a cash cost and is not added back as equity, so total return is a simplified cash-flow-plus-appreciation measure.