Gross Rent Multiplier

Gross Rent Multiplier – GRM

The Gross Rent Multiplier or GRM is a ratio that is used to estimate the value of income producing properties. The GRM provides a rough estimate of value. Only two pieces of financial information are required to calculate the Gross Rent Multiplier for a property, the sales price and the total gross rents possible. If this information is available for multiple recent sales of similar types of income properties in a particular area, it can then be used to estimate the market value of other similar properties in that area. Some investors use a monthly Gross Rent Multiplier and some use a Yearly GRM. The monthly Gross Rent Multiplier is equal to the Sales Price of a property divided by the potential monthly rental income and the Yearly GRM is the Sales Price divided by the yearly potential rental income.

SPACE

Example 1: If the sales price for a property is $200,000 and the monthly potential rental income for a property is $2,500, the GRM is equal to 80. Monthly potential rental income is equal to the full occupancy monthly rental amount which assumes all available rental units are occupied. Generally speaking, properties in prime locations have higher GRMs than properties in less desirable locations. When comparing similar properties in the same area or location, the lower the GRM, the more profitable the property. This statement assumes that operating expenses are proportionate for the properties being compared. Since the GRM calculation doesn’t include operating expenses, this statement might not hold true for similar properties where one of the properties has significantly higher operating expenses.

SPACE

Example 2: We have several similar properties that have sold recently in the same area and their average monthly GRM is 80. We can use this information to estimate the value of comparable properties for sale. If our monthly potential gross income for a property is equal to $3,000, we would estimate its value in the following way.

Estimated Market Value = GRM X Potential Gross Income

 80 X $3,000 = $240,000

space

A market GRM can provide a rough estimate of value, but it does have some limitations. The GRM calculation doesn’t include a property’s operating expenses and vacancy factor. We could have a situation where two properties have approximately the same potential rental income, but one property has significantly higher operating expenses. The above formula would result in a questionable estimation of the market value for these properties. Also, the above GRM formula uses the monthly potential rental income and doesn’t account for a vacancy factor which could have an impact on the accuracy of the property value estimates. The seasoned investor understands the above limitations and uses the gross rent multiplier to get a quick feel for the potential market value of an income property. The GRM is sometimes calculated using the effective gross income rather then the potential rental income thus incorporating the vacancy factor in the GRM calculation. Effective Gross income equals potential rental income minus the vacancy amount. When vacancy rates are a factor, using the effective gross income will produce a more reliable estimate. The capitalization rate is a more reliable tool for estimating the value of income producing properties since vacancy amount and operating expenses are included in the cap.

No tags