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BRRRR Calculator: Cash Left in the Deal After Refinance

BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) works when the refinance returns most of your cash. This calculator shows how much money stays trapped in the deal after the cash-out refinance and what the property earns on it. If the cash left in is zero or negative, the return is infinite.

How it's calculated

All-in cost = purchase + rehab + closing and holding costs (assumes you fund these with cash or short-term money that the refinance pays off)
New loan = ARV × refinance LTV
Cash back = new loan − refinance closing costs (as % of the loan)
Cash left in the deal = all-in cost − cash back
Cash-on-cash = annual cash flow after the refi ÷ cash left in

Lenders set the LTV and often require a seasoning period before a cash-out refinance; check both before you count on the numbers.

Worked example

The calculator above starts with these numbers: purchase price $150,000; rehab budget $40,000; purchase closing + holding costs $8,000; after-repair value $250,000; refinance loan-to-value 75%; refinance closing costs 3%; refinance interest rate 7.25%; refinance term 30 years; monthly rent $2,100; vacancy 5%; monthly operating expenses $600.

All-in cost (buy + rehab + holding): $198,000
New loan at refinance: $187,500
Cash back after refi costs: $181,875
Cash left in the deal: $16,125
New monthly mortgage (P&I): $1,279
Monthly cash flow after refi: $116
Cash-on-cash on cash left in: 8.63%

Frequently asked questions

What is the 75% rule in BRRRR?

Many cash-out refinance lenders lend up to about 75% of the appraised value. To get all your cash back, your all-in cost needs to be at or below roughly 75% of ARV minus refinance costs.

What if the appraisal comes in low?

Lower the ARV above and watch the cash left in the deal. Running a pessimistic ARV before you buy shows how much risk the deal carries.

Why can the return be infinite?

If the refinance gives back all the cash you put in, you have no money left in the deal, so any positive cash flow divided by zero invested is mathematically infinite.

Related guides

More free calculators: Cash-on-Cash Return · Cap Rate · Rent vs Sell

Estimates only, for comparing deals. This is not investment, tax, or lending advice. Verify numbers with your lender and a licensed professional before you buy or sell.