Rental market and real estate deal analysis

Frameworks for comparing markets, underwriting rental deals, interpreting returns, and deciding which opportunities deserve attention.

04 · Analysis

A practical place to start

A market or deal deserves attention only when the underlying assumptions are explicit. Separate market quality from property economics, compare returns on the same basis, and treat uncertainty as something to model rather than ignore.

The framework

Use the same sequence every time

  1. 01

    Screen the market

    Compare demand, supply, affordability, employment, and the practical realities of operating there.

  2. 02

    Normalize the deal

    Use consistent income, expense, vacancy, reserve, and financing assumptions.

  3. 03

    Compare return measures

    Understand what cap rate, cash flow, IRR, and equity growth do and do not tell you.

  4. 04

    Model the downside

    Test slower rent growth, higher expenses, vacancies, and a less favorable exit.

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