Investment Property Analyzer — Free Download

Analyze any rental property before you buy — in minutes.

This free spreadsheet walks you through every number that matters: purchase price, financing, income, expenses, cash flow, and long-term returns. Built specifically for Baldwin and Mobile County properties, with Gulf Coast-specific expense line items most generic tools miss.

Download the Investment Property Analyzer (.csv)

Compatible with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. No email required.

What’s Inside

Section 1 — Property Information

Record the basics: address, county, property type, year built, square footage, flood zone, and rental strategy. The flood zone field matters here — properties in AE or VE zones carry flood insurance costs that can significantly affect cash flow, and this tool keeps that cost visible throughout.

Section 2 — Acquisition & Startup Costs

Enter your purchase price and the tool calculates your full cash requirement: down payment, estimated closing costs, renovation/rehab budget, a 15% contingency on rehab, and short-term rental setup costs. The Total Cash Required figure at the bottom is your actual check-writing number — what you need liquid before you close.

Section 3 — Financing

Enter your interest rate and loan term and the tool calculates your monthly principal and interest payment (P&I) using a standard mortgage formula. Tracks loan type, lender, and rate lock date for your records. Default rate is set to current investment property conventional rates — update it to match your actual quote.

Section 4 — Income Analysis

Two separate modules, one for each strategy:

Long-Term Rental: Enter gross monthly rent and the tool applies your vacancy rate to calculate effective monthly income. The default vacancy assumption is 8% — conservative for the Mobile/Baldwin long-term rental market, which typically runs 5–10% depending on submarket.

Short-Term Rental: Built for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach seasonal dynamics. Enter weekly rates and occupied weeks across three seasons — peak (June–August), shoulder (March–May / September–October), and off-season (November–February). The tool calculates annual gross revenue, deducts platform fees (Airbnb/VRBO, default 3%), and produces your effective annual short-term rental revenue.

Section 5 — Operating Expenses

Gulf Coast-specific expense stack, including line items most national templates omit:

• Property taxes (Mobile: ~0.35% / Baldwin: ~0.40% of assessed value)
• Homeowner’s insurance — enter your actual quote; Gulf Coast rates vary significantly by location and flood zone
• Flood insurance — separate line item; required in AE/VE zones
• Wind/hurricane coverage — often a separate policy in coastal areas
• HOA fees — relevant for condos and some planned communities; can run $400–$1,200+/month
• Property management (default 8% for long-term rental / 25% for full-service short-term rental)
• Maintenance reserve (default 10% of gross rent — increase for older properties)
• short-term rental-specific: management fees, cleaning/turnover, supplies/consumables, furnishing replacement reserve

Section 6 — Cash Flow Summary

Net Operating Income (NOI) = effective gross income minus all operating expenses, before debt service. This is the number used for cap rate. Subtract debt service to get your monthly and annual cash flow.

Section 7 — Key Return Metrics

Five calculated metrics with Baldwin/Mobile benchmark ranges:

Section 8 — Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO)

For value-add and distressed properties. Enter the After-Repair Value (ARV) and your target multiplier (default 70%) to calculate the maximum you should pay before factoring in rehab. Your offer should be at or below MAO. The tool also calculates all-in cost as a percentage of ARV — this should stay below 75% to support a refinance.

Section 9 — BRRRR Analysis

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. Enter your refinance LTV (default 75% — standard for investment property) and the tool calculates how much cash you recover at refinance, what capital remains in the deal, and your cash-on-cash return on remaining deployed capital. If you pull out more than you put in, the tool flags it as an infinite return scenario.

Section 10 — 5-Year Projection

Configure three annual growth assumptions — rent growth (default 2%), appreciation (default 3%), expense inflation (default 2%) — and the tool projects gross rent, operating expenses, NOI, debt service, cash flow, cumulative cash flow, property value, loan balance, and equity across five years. Conservative defaults reflect Mobile County conditions; adjust appreciation upward for Baldwin County coastal properties where 4–5% annual appreciation is more typical.

Section 11 — Decision Summary

Five key metrics displayed side-by-side with target benchmarks and a pass/flag/fail indicator. Quick read on whether the deal meets your investment criteria before you go deeper.

How to Use This File

In Google Sheets

1. Download the .csv file
2. Go to Google Sheets → File → Import
3. Select the downloaded file → choose “Replace spreadsheet” → Import
4. The formulas are described in the Notes column — re-enter them in column D using the formula syntax shown

In Microsoft Excel

1. Download the .csv file
2. Open Excel → File → Open → browse to the downloaded file
3. The import wizard will open — select “Delimited” → Comma → Finish
4. Re-enter formulas from the Notes column into the Calculated cells

Note on formulas: CSV format does not preserve live formulas — it stores the formula syntax as text in the Notes column so you can re-enter them. For a fully formula-enabled version, transfer the structure into a native .xlsx or .gsheet file and enter the formulas once. The Notes column tells you exactly what each formula does.

What This Tool Does Not Do

• It does not provide real-time rental market data. Use current listings on Zillow, Rentometer, Airbnb, and VRBO to inform your income inputs.
• It does not provide actual insurance quotes. Gulf Coast insurance rates vary significantly by flood zone, elevation certificate, age of construction, and carrier. Always get actual quotes before closing.
• It does not calculate depreciation or tax benefits. Consult a CPA for tax treatment of rental income, depreciation schedules, and passive loss rules.
• It does not replace a professional appraisal, property inspection, or title search.

Pair This Tool With

• [Mobile County Buyer Area Guide] — submarket-by-submarket breakdown of where investors are finding opportunities
• [Baldwin County Buyer Area Guide] — Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Daphne, and the coastal markets
• [Current Mortgage Rate Update] — update Section 3 with current investment property rates before running your numbers
• [BRRRR Strategy Guide] — detailed walkthrough of the Buy-Rehab-Rent-Refinance-Repeat method

A Note on Estimates

The benchmark ranges in this tool — vacancy rates, cap rate targets, appreciation assumptions — reflect general market conditions in Mobile and Baldwin County as of the tool’s publication date. Real estate markets change. Always verify current rental rates with active listings, get actual insurance quotes, confirm property tax assessments with the county assessor, before making any investment decision.

short-term rental income projections depend heavily on property location, size, amenities, listing quality, and platform algorithm factors. The Gulf Shores and Orange Beach short-term rental market is seasonal and competitive. Actual results vary.

This tool is provided for educational and planning purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult a CPA and attorney before any investment decision. Flood insurance requirements: verify flood zone status at msc.fema.gov for every property. short-term rental regulations: verify current permit requirements with the City of Gulf Shores or Orange Beach before purchasing.

Alabama Gulf Coast Guide | alabamagulfcoastguide.com | Milton Christ, REALTOR® | naf Cash Certified | Keller Williams Alabama Gulf Coast | AL License #172097