What is Net Operating Income (NOI) in Real Estate?

 Net Operating Income (NOI) is a key metric for calculating the annual income a property generates, providing invaluable insights into the property's financial health. 

By understanding NOI, you can accurately evaluate the potential profitability of real estate investments, ensuring you offer the best advice to your clients. In the sections below, we will delve into the fundamentals of NOI.

What is Net Operating Income? (NOI)

NOI is the total revenue generated by a property from all sources, such as rental income and additional income (e.g. parking fees or laundry facilities), minus all operating expenses required to run the property. 

This calculation excludes mortgage payments and income taxes, providing a clear picture of the property's profitability.

Why Do We Use Net Operating Income?

NOI provides a clear idea of how much money a property is actually making, eliminating hidden surprises. It also allows for the comparison of different properties to determine which is the best investment choice. 

A property with a higher NOI generally indicates better performance and a stronger financial return. 

How to Calculate the NOI of a Property

In its simplest form, the formula for calculating NOI is:

NOI = Total Revenue − Total Operating Expenses

To calculate NOI accurately, you need to consider two main components: total revenue and operating expenses.

Total Revenue: 

This includes all income generated by the property, primarily through rental payments from tenants. It is essential to factor in other income sources, such as parking fees, laundry facilities, or any additional services offered to tenants.

Operating Expenses: 

These are the various costs associated with operating and maintaining the property. They typically include property taxes, insurance, property management fees, utilities, maintenance and repairs, marketing expenses, and any other necessary expenditures directly related to running the property.

It is important to note that NOI does not include mortgage payments or any financing-related costs. Since NOI doesn’t include mortgage payments, it focuses on the property’s performance before financing, allowing for accurate income forecasting and investment planning.

How to Find a Property’s Profitability (Step-by-Step) 

Here’s a step-by-step method on how to find a property’s profitability, using the NOI:

Step 1: Compile Income Data

Add up all the income generated by the property in a given period (usually a year). This includes rent from tenants and any additional income sources like parking fees, laundry facilities, or vending machines.

Step 2: Determine Operating Expenses

List all expenses required to operate the property. This includes property management fees, maintenance costs, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and any other expenses directly related to running the property.

Remember to NOT include financing costs, such as a mortgage.

Step 3: Compute NOI

Subtract the operating expenses from the total income. The result is the net operating income of the property.

And that's it! This metric provides a clear picture of how much money the property is making after accounting for running costs. NOI is essential for real estate evaluation and helps investors assess the property's financial performance and income-generating potential.

Practical Example of Calculating NOI

Let’s calculate the net operating income for a rental property a client is considering. Assume they are interested in a small apartment building with the following financial information for a year:

• Total Rental Income: $150,000
• Operating Expenses: $50,000 (including property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and management fees)
• Vacancy and Credit Losses: $10,000 (expected loss due to vacant units or defaults)

Using the formula:

NOI = Total Rental Income − Operating Expenses − Vacancy and Credit Losses

NOI = $150,000 − $50,000 − $10,000 = $90,000

This indicates that, after deducting all operating expenses and potential losses, the property yielded a net income of $90,000 for the year.

Advantages of Evaluating Investments with NOI

Better than Cap Rate and Cash-on-Cash Return:

While metrics like cap rate and cash-on-cash return are useful, NOI provides a more comprehensive view of raw profitability before financing.

It’s a straightforward dollar amount that is clear to everyone.

Measuring Profitability and Growth Potential:

NOI indicates whether an investment is truly profitable and helps assess the property’s long-term performance and growth potential.

Comparing Properties:

With NOI, you can compare different properties apples-to-apples. Higher NOI generally means better performance and more promising returns.

This will help you determine the better investment of multiple properties.

Final Thoughts on Net Operating Income

Understanding NOI is essential for anyone preparing for the real estate exam, as it forms a critical component of real estate investment analysis. The exam will test you on various financial metrics used to evaluate property performance, and NOI is one of the most fundamental. 

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