Capitalization rate is a real estate valuation measure used to compare different real estate investments. Although there are many variations, the cap rate is generally calculated as the ratio between the annual rental income produced by a real estate asset to its current market value.

What does 7.5% cap rate mean?

With that caveat, to understand a CAP rate you simply take the building's annual net operating income divided by purchase price. For example, if an investment property costs $1 million dollars and it generates $75,000 of NOI (net operating income) a year, then it's a 7.5 percent CAP rate.

What is a good cap rate to buy?

For example, professionals purchasing commercial properties might buy at a 4% cap rate in high-demand (and therefore less risky) areas, but hold out for a 10% (or even higher) cap rate in low-demand areas. Generally, 4% to 10% per year is a reasonable range to earn for your investment property.