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Break-Even Ratio

The percentage of gross rental income needed to cover all operating expenses and debt service.

Definition

Break-even ratio (also called break-even occupancy) shows what percentage of potential rental income must actually be collected for a property to cover its costs. It's a key risk metric — properties with high break-even ratios have little margin for vacancy or unexpected expenses, while low break-even ratios indicate a financial cushion.

Formula

Break-Even Ratio = ((Operating Expenses + Debt Service) ÷ Gross Rent) × 100

Break-even ratio equals total expenses including debt service divided by gross potential rent, expressed as a percentage.

Example

A property has $36,000 in gross potential rent, $8,000 in operating expenses, and $20,000 in annual debt service. Break-even ratio = (($8,000 + $20,000) ÷ $36,000) × 100 = 77.8%. The property needs to be 78% occupied to break even, leaving a 22% buffer.

How Richify Helps With Break-Even Ratio

Richify automatically calculates break-even ratio and other key real estate metrics for every property in your portfolio. Instead of plugging numbers into spreadsheets, you get instant analysis with built-in AI-powered insights to help you spot trends and opportunities across your holdings.

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