FinToolSuite

Commercial Property ROI Calculator

Updated April 17, 2026 · Investing · Educational use only ·

Commercial property yield.

Calculate commercial property cap rate and total NOI accounting for vacancy assumptions and full lease term. Enter property price and see the result instantly.

What this tool does

This tool calculates commercial property cap rate and total NOI over lease term.


Enter Values

Formula Used
Annual rent
Vacancy %
Expenses
Price

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Disclaimer

Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Commercial property ROI calculator measures yield on offices, retail, industrial properties. Cap rate = NOI / property price. Commercial typically 6-10% cap rate vs residential 3-5% - higher yields compensate for more variable demand and longer void periods. 1M industrial unit at 80k NOI = 8% cap rate.

Example: 1M property, 100k annual rent, 5% vacancy assumption, 15k expenses, 5-year lease. Effective rent 95k. NOI = 80k. Cap rate = 8%. Total NOI over 5 years = 400k. Strong cash flow vs residential. Trade-off: longer void periods (6-18 months between tenants common), specialist tenant marketing, tenant default risk concentration.

Commercial property types and typical cap rates: Office (/major cities): 4-6%. Office (regional): 6-9%. Retail (high street): 6-10%. Industrial/logistics: 5-8% (high demand from e-commerce). Multi-let industrial: 7-10%. Warehousing: 6-9%. Pubs/restaurants: 8-12%. Higher cap rate often signals higher risk - vacancy, tenant quality, maintenance burden. Long leases (5-10 years) preferred - reduce void risk and stabilise income.

Quick example

With property price of 1,000,000 and annual rent of 100,000 (plus annual operating expenses of 15,000 and vacancy rate of 5%), the result is 8.00%. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.

Which inputs matter most

You enter Property Price, Annual Rent, Annual Operating Expenses, Vacancy Rate %, and Lease Term (years). Not every input has equal weight. Flip one at a time toward extreme values to feel which ones move the needle most for your situation.

What's happening under the hood

NOI = (rent × (1 - vacancy)) - expenses. Cap rate = NOI / price × 100. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.

Why investors run this

Most people's intuition for compounding is wrong — not because the math is hard, but because linear thinking doesn't account for curves. Running numbers through a calculator like this one is the cheapest way to recalibrate that intuition before making an irreversible decision about contribution rate, asset mix, or retirement age.

What this doesn't capture

Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. Treat the number as one scenario, not a forecast.

Example Scenario

£1,000,000 £, £100,000 £ rent, 5% vacancy = 8.00%.

Inputs

Property Price:1,000,000 £
Annual Rent:100,000 £
Annual Operating Expenses:15,000 £
Vacancy Rate %:5
Lease Term (years):5
Expected Result8.00%

This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.

Sources & Methodology

Methodology

NOI = (rent × (1 - vacancy)) - expenses. Cap rate = NOI / price × 100.

Frequently Asked Questions

Commercial vs residential yields?
Commercial: 6-10% cap rate typical. Residential: 3-5%. Higher commercial yield compensates for: longer void periods (6-18 months between tenants), tenant concentration risk, maintenance complexity, specialist marketing needed. Residential lower yield but more liquid and predictable cash flow.
Best commercial sectors?
Industrial/logistics: highest demand (e-commerce growth), 5-8% yields, long leases. Multi-let industrial estates: 7-10% yields, diversified tenant base. Office (post-COVID): variable - prime well-located OK, secondary stock struggling. Retail: declining (e-commerce), high yields but tenant failures common. Always research specific sector trends.
Lease structure considerations?
FRI (Full Repairing and Insuring) lease: tenant pays all repairs/insurance, common in commercial. Internal Repairing only: landlord covers exterior. Length: longer better (5-10 years standard, 15-25 years for prime industrial). Break clauses: tenant flexibility but landlord risk. Rent reviews (5-yearly typical) capture market growth.
Commercial vs residential management?
Commercial: less day-to-day management, longer leases, specialised legal/marketing. Residential: more frequent issues, shorter leases, easier to find tenants. Commercial requires expert advisors (commercial agents 10-15% letting fees, specialist solicitors). Residential easier for novice landlords. Match complexity to your expertise.

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