Income Approach: What It Is, How It's Calculated, Example (2024)

What Is the Income Approach?

The income approach, sometimes referred to as the income capitalization approach, is a type of real estate appraisal method that allows investors to estimate the value of a property based on the income the property generates. It’s used by taking the net operating income (NOI) of the rent collected and dividing it by the capitalization rate.

How the Income Approach Works

The income approach is typically used for income-producing properties and is one of three popular approaches to appraising real estate. The others are the cost approach and the comparison approach. The income approach for real estate valuations is akin to the discounted cash flow (DCF) for finance. The income approach discounts the future value of rents by the capitalization rate.

When using the income approach for purchasing a rental property, an investor considers the amount of income generated and other factors to determine how much the property may sell for under current market conditions. In addition to determining whether the investor may profit from the rental property, a lender will want to know its potential risk of repayment if it extends a mortgage to the investor.

Of the three methods for appraising real estate, the income approach is considered the most involved and difficult.

Special Considerations

When using the income approach for purchasing a rental property, an investor must also consider the condition of the property. Potential large repairs that may be needed can substantially cut into future profits.

In addition, an investor should consider how efficiently the property is operating. For example, the landlord may be giving tenants rent reductions in exchange for completing yard work or other responsibilities. Perhaps specific tenants are facing economic difficulties that should turn around in the next few months, and the landlord does not want to evict them. If rent being collected is not greater than current expenses, the investor will most likely not purchase the property.

With the income approach, the cap rate and estimated value have an inverse relationship—lowering the cap rate increases the estimated value

An investor must also ascertain how many units on average are empty at any given time. Not receiving full rent from every unit will affect the investor’s income from the property. This is especially important if a property is in great need of repairs and many units are vacant—suggesting a low occupancy rate. If the units are not filled on a regular basis, rent collection will be lower than it could be, and purchasing the property may not be in the investor’s best interest.

Key Takeaways

  • The income approach is a real estate valuation method that uses the income the property generates to estimate fair value.
  • It's calculated by dividing the net operating income by the capitalization rate.
  • A buyer should pay special attention to the condition of the property, operating efficiency, and vacancy when using the income approach.

Example of the Income Approach

With the income approach, an investor uses market sales of comparables for choosing a capitalization rate. For example, when valuing a four-unit apartment building in a specific county, the investor looks at the recent selling prices of similar properties in the same county. After calculating the capitalization rate, the investor can divide the rental property’s NOI by that rate. For example, a property with a net operating income (NOI) of $700,000 and a chosen capitalization rate of 8% is worth $8.75 million.

Income Approach: What It Is, How It's Calculated, Example (2024)

FAQs

Income Approach: What It Is, How It's Calculated, Example? ›

The income approach is a real estate valuation method that uses the income the property generates to estimate fair value. It's calculated by dividing the net operating income by the capitalization rate

capitalization rate
Key Takeaways. The capitalization rate is calculated by dividing a property's net operating income by the current market value. This ratio, expressed as a percentage, is an estimation of an investor's potential return on a real estate investment.
https://www.investopedia.com › terms › capitalizationrate
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What is an example of an income based approach? ›

An example of someone who would use the income approach is a rental real estate investor to calculate the income generated by the property and consider the cost of the property in comparison to the rental income. Flippers and retail buyers are not primarily concerned with the home's income-producing potential.

What is the income approach technique? ›

The income approach is applied using the valuation technique of a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, which requires (1) estimating future cash flows for a certain discrete projection period; (2) estimating the terminal value, if appropriate; and (3) discounting those amounts to present value at a rate of return that ...

What is an example of the net operating income approach? ›

For example, a company using the net operating income approach sees no correlation between debt or equity financing and company value. The company's WACC remains the same regardless of whether it uses more debt. Thus, the company seeks financing that is the easiest and quickest to secure.

Which of the following are examples of income? ›

Examples of earned income are: wages; salaries; tips; and other taxable employee compensation. Earned income also includes net earnings from self-employment.

What is the income approach best for? ›

The income approach to appraisal allows investors to calculate a property's market value based on the income it's currently generating. An informed understanding of a property's current cash flow enables investors to more effectively determine if a deal aligns with their goals, strategy and criteria.

What are the two types of income approach? ›

The income approach quantifies the present worth of future benefits associated with ownership of the real estate asset. The income approach comes in two different forms: net income approach and gross income approach.

What is a formula for the income statement approach? ›

Income Statement Formula is represented as, Gross Profit = Revenues – Cost of Goods Sold. Operating Income = Gross Profit – Operating Expenses. Net income = Operating Income + Non-operating Items.

What is the formula for income approach in economics? ›

Using the income approach to calculate GDP, total national income, sales tax, depreciation, and the net foreign factor income are summed together. The net foreign factor income (NFFI) equals GNP - GDP.

How to calculate net income? ›

To calculate net income for a business, start with a company's total revenue. From this figure, subtract the business's expenses and operating costs to calculate the business's earnings before tax. Deduct tax from this amount to find the NI.

How do you calculate operating income to net income? ›

Operating income is revenue less any operating expenses, while net income is operating income less any other non-operating expenses, such as interest and taxes.

What is the meaning of income based? ›

Income-based means that eligibility to receive program benefits is based on financial status or need, or more specifically, is based on some eligibility criteria or “test” as relates to individual, household or family income.

What are the three approaches to income recognition? ›

Completed-contract method: Records revenues and expenses at the end of the contract. Cost-recoverability method: Delays profit recognition until all project expenses are recouped. Percentage-of-completion method: Recognizes revenues and expenses as a percentage of work completed, common in long-term contracts.

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