Estimate collected rent
Allow for vacancy before calculating percentage-based operating costs.
Scheduled rent × occupied share
For investment-property planning
Rental property stress-test calculator
Would the rental still cover its costs in a harder year? Compare your base case with lower rent, more vacancy and higher operating expenses.
No contact details needed to calculate.
01 / Your numbers
Start with your assumptions.
Review the labels and units, calculate, then use the explanation below to understand the result.
Your comparison
See what your numbers show.
Complete the inputs, then choose Calculate. Loading an example fills the form so you can explore the assumptions before calculating.
02 / Read the result
A useful starting point.
Inputs changed. Calculate again to update these results.
See the calculation breakdown
02 / Behind the estimate
Follow the numbers.
Use your own inputs. Sample rates are assumptions, not current offers. This is a planning model, not a loan approval or a recommendation to borrow. The stress case keeps the modeled mortgage payment unchanged. It does not predict rents, repairs, appreciation or tax outcomes.
Deduct the operating budget
Include property costs, management, maintenance and capital reserves.
Collected rent − operating costs
Apply the harder case
Reduce rent, replace the vacancy assumption and increase operating costs.
Operating remainder − mortgage payment
Cash flow includes the costs entered
Unlike the DSCR tool’s rent-remaining figure, this model includes entered operating expenses and reserves. Missing expenses will overstate the result.
The stressed result is a scenario
A negative result shows a monthly shortfall under those assumptions. A positive result is not proof of an attractive investment or of lender qualification.
03 / The details that matter
What changes your result?
Keep the formula and the real-world review connected.
Vacancy
The stress vacancy percentage replaces the base percentage; it is not added to it.
Percentage expenses
Management, maintenance and capital reserves are percentages of collected rent in this model.
Expense increase
The stress increase applies to modeled operating costs and reserves, including taxes and insurance. The mortgage payment stays fixed.
Major events
A large repair or long vacancy can be uneven. A monthly reserve does not guarantee enough cash is available when needed.
04 / Questions answered
Rental property stress-test questions, answered.
01
Set the assumptions
Make the inputs match the property.
How should I choose the stress assumptions?
Test conditions the property could plausibly face, such as time without a tenant, lower rent at renewal or higher insurance costs.
The presets are examples. Use property records, local rental evidence and realistic repair estimates for your own cases.
Return to the calculatorDoes stress vacancy add to the base vacancy rate?
No. The stress vacancy input replaces the base vacancy percentage.
For example, a 5% base case and 10% stress case use 5% and 10% respectively—not 15% in the stress case.
Return to the calculatorAre management and repair percentages based on full rent?
They are based on rent remaining after the modeled vacancy allowance.
The stress case also applies its expense increase to those amounts. Enter fixed property costs separately in the labeled fields.
Return to the calculator02
Read the results
Use both cases to test resilience.
Is this the same as the DSCR a lender uses?
No.
This is an operating cash-flow stress test that includes the vacancy, repairs, management and reserves you enter. A lender’s coverage calculation can use different rent and payment definitions. Use the DSCR calculator and confirm the lender’s method separately.
Return to the calculatorDoes positive cash flow mean a property is a good investment?
Not by itself.
Consider cash invested, major repairs, financing terms, sale costs and unexpected vacancies or assessments. This estimate does not predict appreciation, tax outcomes or resale value.
Return to the calculatorDoes the stress case increase the interest rate?
No. The mortgage rate and payment remain fixed across the two cases.
If you want to explore a different borrowing rate, change that input and recalculate both cases. This is not an adjustable-rate loan simulation.
Return to the calculator03
Prepare for a property review
Compare the model with real records.
What if the property has a large repair coming up?
Plan the repair and the cash to fund it separately.
A monthly maintenance or capital reserve spreads an assumption over time. It does not show the timing of a roof replacement or a special assessment.
Return to the calculatorWhat should I bring to discuss a rental scenario?
Bring the lease or rent evidence, expense records, proposed financing and reserve plan.
Review which expenses are owner-paid and whether any large costs are missing. Then compare lender coverage separately.
Compare the DSCR estimate05 / From estimate to conversation
Bring the questions behind the numbers.
Use these topics to prepare a focused review of your situation.
Rent evidence
What we review: Current lease and realistic market alternatives.
Why it matters: The whole analysis starts with rent that can be collected.
What to prepare
Lease, rent roll and local comparables.
Operating costs
What we review: Owner-paid bills and percentage reserves.
Why it matters: Omitted expenses can turn a shortfall into an apparent surplus.
What to prepare
Tax, insurance, utility and management records.
Stress case
What we review: Vacancy, rent changes and cost increases.
Why it matters: A harder case tests the cash buffer.
What to prepare
Turnover history and likely upcoming costs.
Financing and reserves
What we review: Debt service and available cash.
Why it matters: Lender coverage and investment resilience are separate questions.
What to prepare
Loan terms and a reserve plan.
Have a general question before starting a scenario?
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