How To Maximize Rental Property ROI: A Guide For Property Owners

what is a good return on rental property

Real estate investing has continuously had high income potential, with rental properties being one of the most profitable ways to yield great revenues. However, to ensure you’re making smart choices regarding how you invest your capital, it is essential to understand your Return on Investment (ROI). Being aware of how income returns work in rental market facilitates higher returns, more cash flow, and a steady growth of real estate value.

Proven Strategies & Pro Tips on How to Increase Your Rental Income 

If you are a landlord or a real estate investor having trouble increasing their rental property’s performance, this article is intended for you. We will begin by explaining what ROI is, how to calculate it, and what is good ROI for rental property. We will also explore various techniques and proven strategies that can maximize your gains, such as cost-effective upgrades, energy efficiency strategies, regular price optimization, target-oriented advertising, as well as professional property management. Information provided in this post should help you accurately calculate how profitable your property is and how to become an even more successful real estate investor.

What Is Rental ROI And Why Is It Important?

ROI (return on investment) is an important financial indicator which measures how well your rental property performs. It denotes how profitable your real estate is relative to its overall operative expenses. A positive number suggests that your business is lucrative, while a negative ROI number indicates that your income is too small to cover the existing costs. Because of this, it is crucial to calculate your ROI. When you know the precise number and amount you’re making, it will be easier for you to make the right business and investment decisions.  

Analyzing your ROI has numerous benefits:

  • Recognize profitable investments – Helps you identify properties that generate the highest returns from those that are not as productive. You can also use ROI calculations to compare different properties and  choose those with better profits.
  • Up-to-date monitoring – By continuous analysis of ROI, you are able to promptly act and make adjustments to improve profitability if needed.
  • Key decision making – You will also be able to make strategic management decisions like rent increase or property upgrades.

Factors That Impact Your Rental Income

The financial performance of residential rentals varies from one property to another. While one will have above average gains, another one will underperform and it all depends on several important factors, listed below. By analyzing these determinates, you should be able to make better choices about your investments and how to optimize your profits.

  • Location – The location of your real estate can greatly affect your revenues and appreciation value.
  • Type & size of property – Larger units with more bedrooms and multi-unit apartment buildings tend to generate more income. However, they also have higher operating expenses.
  • Unit condition – Well-kept and properly maintained properties with new appliances generally have higher rent rates.  
  • Market supply & demand – Market conditions can significantly affect the rental income generated by the property. For example, higher demand in specific areas can increase rent prices.
  • Operating expenses – Taxes, various fees, and repair costs also influence net profit. Bear in mind that certain states and counties have higher property taxes which can eat into the potential ROI.
  • Financing – In general, properties that were paid with cash yield less income than those acquired through financing.

What Is Considered Good ROI for Rental Property?

In today’s booming rental property market, being a landlord can be a very profitable venture, but what’s considered a good (ROI)? How do you know whether your return is acceptable or not? Below we have listed a few things you need to know in order to determine whether your rental business is lucrative enough or not.

Although there is no one-solution-fits-all in this instance, depending on current market conditions,  6 -12% is generally considered good ROI. In certain urban areas, a 4-6% may be considered sound investment, while in other locations, an amount of over 12% is favorable.

How To Calculate ROI on Rental Property – 3 Methods

To accurately calculate the return of any rental property, you have to take into consideration things such as annual income, yearly expenses, and equity growth. There are 3 different ways to calculate return on investment (ROI).

This is the most popular method is straightforward and the formula is as follows:

ANNUAL RENTAL INCOME – ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES / MORTGAGE VALUE = ROI

Cap rate method evaluates potential profitability by taking into account net income (NOI) and property value. NOI is calculated by deducting property value from annual expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, management fees). Finally, multiply the number by 100 to get the percentage rate.

(NET OPERATING INCOME (NOI) / PURCHASE PRICE) X 100% = CAP RATE

This formula is based on measuring pre-tax earnings in relation to the initial investment:

(ANNUAL CASH FLOW / PURCHASE PRICE0 X 100% = CASH-ON-CASH-RETURN

Effective Strategies To Help Boost Your Rental Gains

If you want to increase the returns of your rental dwelling, there are many strategies you can implement in order to maximize income. Here, we have several proven methods and expert tips to boost your gains, from powerful marketing to compliance with the law and technology utilization.

The success of your rental property depends to a large extent on how efficiently you run your unit. Even though outsourcing your responsibilities will cost you money, you can be confident that your real estate for lease is in the right hands. Some of many benefits include:

  • Tenant screening and tenant placement services: One of the major benefits of hiring a property manager is professional advertising campaign of your property, screening the potential renters, and placing the tenants. The main goal is to find you reliable and loyal tenants who are willing to commit long term. With access to various marketing channels, property management agencies are able to target and attract the right pool of tenants. The next step, tenant screening, involves meticulous screening (background check, credit assessment, and rental history), which substantially minimizes the risk of hosting unreliable and problematic tenants who don’t pay ren ton time or don’t take good care of the property. Lastly, your manager will also take care of the drafting, signing, and enforcing of lease agreement.
  • Rent collection: Hiring property managers means simplifying the whole rent collection procedure. This way, you can maintain a steady and timely cash flow. Rent collection services include money collection, record keeping, distribution of late payment and eviction notices, and many more.
  • Proactive maintenance: Regular maintenance and timely repairs are critical for maintaining your property’s value and keeping your client’s happy. When it comes to keeping the building healthy, property managers excel in this aspect of management, and their services encompass corrective maintenance, 24/7 emergency assistance, preventive maintenance, building and ground inspection, safety regulations compliance, and contractors management. By hiring professionals, you will save a lot of time, reduce stress, and increase the worth of your real estate.

A fail-safe method to maximize returns is to make your property attractive to the right renters. You need to make cosmetic (or constructional) changes that will appeal to the exact type of tenant you want, otherwise your place may stay on the market for much longer than expected.

To make your real estate more appealing, you can try any (or all) of the following:

  • Add more curb appeal – Consider improving landscape and hardscape elements, place new light fixtures, update the front porch and front door, maintain vegetation regularly.
  • Property upgrades– Updating flooring with new hard wood or laminate floors, introducing in-demand amenities, updating appliances, adding energy-efficient windows, updating the bathroom, remodeling kitchen, etc.
  • Make your property more energy-efficient – Choose energy-efficient appliances, consider installing solar panels, regularly maintain HVAC systems, use LED bulbs, and thoroughly seal all air leaks and foundation cracks.

By being proactive and conducting regular maintenance, you are able to spot any issues on time, before they become a major issue. This way, you are saving in the long run. Plus, when you invest in upgrades every now and then, you are adding to your dwelling’s value. Small changes such as floor replacement are not overly expensive, yet they make a huge difference in terms of your income.  

Setting the right rent rate is one of key elements of securing a steady money influx and maximized ROI. Although you may want to set a higher rate in order to increase your gain, this can backfire, leaving your place on the market for a long period of time. On the same note, if the price is too low compared to comparable units in the neighborhood, you may be missing on valuable gains. In order to help you set the optimal rates, here are a few guidelines:

  • Research comparable units – Compare the rate with similar rental in your area to see whether you need to further adjust it. Use online resources, local listings, websites, or speak to real estate professionals to gain valuable advice.  
  • Take into account all expenses – Consider property’s expenses such as mortgage, taxes, insurance, and repairs. Rent price should cover these costs and bring you some profit on top of that.
  • Seasonality – In certain areas, the season may dictate the rent price, so make sure you adjust the rates accordingly.
  • Market conditions – Never forget to take market condition into account. Things like supply and demand, economic fluctuations, and seasonality are all factors that can affect rental rates in your area. Because of this, it is important to monitor the situation on rental market, and regalry review your strategies.

Present day renters favor eco-friendly and sustainable features with low utility expenses. There are several enhancements you can make in order to appeal of this type of renter, and ultimately have a satisfied client who is dedicated to staying at your dwelling for a prolonged period of time. Some of the upgrades that you can do include LED lights, solar panels, energy-efficient windows, and low-flow water fixtures.

As smart technology continues to develop at fast pace, a lot of tenants want to enjoy the convenience of high-tech amenities. By providing some sort of smart home technology, you can outshine the competition in the rental market and appeal to an increasing number of tech-savvy clients. These clients are inclined to pay higher prices for the convenience of having technology enhancements. Smart technology may include things like smart security devices, programmable thermostats, or automated  lighting systems.

Offering stellar client services entails more than just managing the property. It revolves around establishing and developing relationships based on mutual respect, understanding, and loyalty. Satisfied renters tend to renew their lease and market your property to other people. This ultimately improves your ROI. Excellent customer services entails prompt maintenance issue addressing, availability, responsiveness, and showing appreciation. To further strengthen landlord-tenant relationship, check in on them from time to time to help foster a positive living environment. It is also helpful to set up a feedback system where they can express their concerns or suggestions. It’s a way of showing how much you value their opinions.

Final Notes

If you want to increase your rental property’s ROI, you must invest a lot of time in planning, researching, and analyzing. Only by getting familiar with market conditions and by having access to expert insights you will be able to determine what kind of changes you need to make in order to gain more profit from your rental. Some of the changes that you can do include effective property management practices, property upgrades, improving curb appeal, introducing smart technology, and other effective strategies. Staying ahead of the competition and quickly adapting to changes secures a thriving business future in booming rental market.

Learn More About Rental Management

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  2. Must-Have Luxury Vacation Rental Amenities For Exclusive Clientele
  3. What To Know Before Becoming A Landlord
  4. Mastering Rent Collection: The Ultimate Guide for Landlords
  5. Vacation Rental Cleaning Checklist & Tips for Landlords
  6. 10 Must-Do Rental Property Upgrades

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