Plain-English definitions of the terms that show up across our deals, tools, and articles — each one links back to where we actually use it.
An additional monthly cost lenders require on conventional loans with less than 20% down. It protects the lender, not the borrower, and can significantly increase the cost of a mortgage.
Read the full breakdown →A property valuation metric based on the income a property is expected to generate, used to assess a property's health and return potential beyond its surface-level appeal.
Read the full guide →A projected income and expense statement for a property, built before purchase to model purchase price, cap rate, and the numbers that actually drive a deal.
Read the full guide →A transaction used to defer capital gains tax by reinvesting sale proceeds into another investment property, named for IRC Section 1031.
Read the step-by-step guide →A mortgage that typically starts with a lower initial rate than a fixed-rate loan, but can fluctuate based on market conditions — potentially leading to lower payments initially and higher costs over time.
ARM vs. fixed-rate →A value-add strategy that only works if the refinance returns most of the investor's capital: buy distressed, force value up with renovation and real rents, then refinance at the new appraised value to recycle the cash into the next deal.
The BRRRR refinance-timing trap → · Run the BRRRR calculator →Annual before-tax cash flow divided by total cash invested — measures the return on the actual cash an investor put in, not the full purchase price.
Read the full guide →Net operating income divided by annual debt payments — a ratio lenders and investors use to judge whether a property's income comfortably covers its mortgage.
Run the deal analyzer →Purchase price divided by annual rental income — a quick, rough screening ratio for comparing deals before running a full analysis.
How to analyse a property like a pro →A commercial lease where the tenant, not the owner, pays the property taxes, insurance, and maintenance — the rent check arrives and essentially all of it stays with the landlord.
See an NNN case study →A tax strategy used to capture accelerated tax benefits on a property, typically applied as part of a stabilize-and-hold plan after renovation.
See a cost-segregation case study →Massachusetts uses a two-step contract (an accepted offer, then a formal Purchase & Sale agreement signed within days), an attorney-run closing rather than an escrow company, and a required smoke/CO detector certificate before the deed can be recorded.
Read the full sequence → · Run the closing timeline tool →Every term on this page shows up in real conversations with buyers every week. Tell us where you're stuck.
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