¿Qué es Cash-on-Cash Return?

Cash-on-cash return (CoC) is a real estate investment metric that calculates the annual pre-tax cash flow generated by a property as a percentage of the total cash actually invested — including the down payment, closing costs, and any upfront renovation expenses. Unlike cap rate, which ignores financing, cash-on-cash return reflects the leverage effect of a mortgage, making it a more accurate measure of actual investor yield when debt is involved.

The formula is straightforward: Annual Pre-Tax Cash Flow ÷ Total Cash Invested × 100. For example, if an investor puts $80,000 into a rental property (down payment plus costs) and the property generates $6,400 in net annual cash flow after mortgage payments, operating expenses, and vacancies, the cash-on-cash return is 8%. This tells the investor they are earning 8 cents in cash for every dollar they deployed.

Cash-on-cash return is most useful for comparing leveraged investment properties against each other or against other asset classes. A well-performing rental property in most markets generates cash-on-cash returns in the range of 6% to 12%, though markets vary dramatically. Properties in high-appreciation, low-yield markets like San Francisco or New York City may have CoC returns of 2% to 4%, with investors betting on appreciation rather than cash flow. Value-add or emerging markets may offer 10% or more.