Put the numbers to work.

Choose a calculation. Adjust the assumptions. Check the result.

Free, no signup. Planning estimates; verify independently.

70% rule

Screen a purchase price

The classic flip screen: MAO = (ARV × 70%) − rehab. The 30% covers selling costs, holding, financing, and your profit.

After-repair value (ARV)Rehab estimateRule percentage

Your screen

Max allowable offer

$135,000

ARV × rule %: $175,000
− Rehab: $40,000
Built-in margin (30%): $75,000

A screen, not an underwrite. Margin must cover selling, holding, financing & profit.

ARV from comps

Compare sold prices

Average the $/sqft of recently sold comps, apply it to your subject. Sold prices only — asks aren't comps.

Comp 1 sold priceComp 1 sqft

Comp 2 sold priceComp 2 sqft

Comp 3 sold priceComp 3 sqft

Your subject's sqft

Your ARV screen

Estimated ARV

$262,000

Average $/sqft (sold): $138
± 5% band: $249K–$275K

A screen, not an appraisal. Comps must be same-area, similar size & finish; adjust for condition, lot, and layout.

Rehab budget

Plan a scope range

Rough planning bands by scope tier and square footage. Real budgets come from a scope walk and contractor bids — this gets you in the zip code.

Living area (sqft)Scope tier

Bands are generic planning ranges, not quotes. Foundation, roof replacement, and structural surprises sit on top of these.

Your rehab band

Planning budget

$67K–$114K

Low ($/sqft × sqft): $66,500
High ($/sqft × sqft): $114,000

Material + labor move with the market — bid the real scope before you commit. Our buyer sheets show the assumed scope on every deal.

Flip profit

Account for the full cost

The whole project on one card: what's left after you buy, renovate, hold, and sell.

Purchase priceRehab budget

Expected resale (ARV)

Selling costs (% of resale)Holding & financing costs

Selling costs ≈ agent commissions + closing + concessions (6–9% typical). Holding ≈ loan interest/points, taxes, insurance, utilities for the project months.

Your flip

Projected profit

$41,800

Resale (ARV): $265,000
− All-in (buy + rehab): $190,000
− Selling costs: $21,200
− Holding & financing: $12,000
Return on cash in: 20.7%

Estimates from your inputs only. Verify comps & costs independently.

Rental cash flow

Estimate monthly cash flow

Monthly cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash for a buy-and-hold.

All-in cost (buy + rehab)Monthly rent

Taxes + insurance (monthly)Monthly loan payment (0 if cash)

Vacancy + maintenance (% of rent)Property management (% of rent)

Cash invested (down payment + rehab; = all-in if cash)

Your rental

Monthly cash flow

$862

Rent: $1,600
− Taxes + insurance: $450
− Vacancy + maintenance: $160
− Management: $128
− Loan payment: $0
Cap rate (on all-in): 6.5%
Cash-on-cash: 6.5%

Cap rate = annual NOI ÷ all-in. Cash-on-cash = annual cash flow ÷ cash invested.

BRRRR cash-out

Model a refinance

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. The number that makes or breaks it: how much of your cash comes back out at the refi.

All-in cost (buy + rehab + holding)After-repair value (ARV)

Refinance LTV (% of appraised value)

Lenders cash-out against the APPRAISED value — your rehab quality has to show up in the appraisal. Run the rental calculator above with your new loan payment to confirm it still cash-flows.

Your BRRRR

Cash left in the deal

$-7,500

Refi loan (ARV × LTV): $187,500
Capital recovered: 100%+
Equity position (ARV − loan): $62,500

Negative "cash left in" = you pulled out more than you put in (the perfect BRRRR). Closing costs on the refi reduce it — budget 2–5% of the loan.

Before you rely on a result.

What is the 70% rule in house flipping?

A quick screen for a flip: pay no more than 70% of the after-repair value (ARV) minus rehab costs. The 30% margin has to cover your selling costs, holding costs, financing, and profit. It's a screen, not an underwrite — tight markets sometimes run 75%, heavy rehabs sometimes need 65%.

How do I calculate ARV from comps?

Average the price-per-square-foot of 3+ recently SOLD comparable homes (same area, similar size and finish), then multiply by your subject's square footage. Adjust down for busy roads or odd layouts, up for premium lots. Sold prices only — active listings are asks, not comps.

What does BRRRR stand for?

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. You buy and renovate with short-term money, rent it, then refinance at the new appraised value — pulling most of your cash back out to do the next one while keeping the rental. The math that matters: how much cash stays stuck in the deal after the refi.

What counts as ARV?

After-repair value: what the home will sell for once renovated, based on recently SOLD comparable homes nearby — same area, similar size, similar finish level. Active listings are asking prices, not comps.

What's a good cash-on-cash return for a Houston rental?

Many Houston buy-and-hold investors target 6–10% cash-on-cash, but it depends on the submarket, the financing, and how much future appreciation or rent growth you're underwriting. Run your own numbers — that's what this page is for.

Are these calculators a substitute for due diligence?

No. They're quick screens using your inputs. Before buying anything, verify condition, comps, taxes, insurance, and title independently, and bring in your attorney, lender, or CPA where it counts.

We buy houses like this one.