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Gross Rent Multiplier Calculator
Divides a property's price by its annual gross rent to get the gross rent multiplier (GRM), the number of years of gross rent needed to pay the price, together with the gross yield.
When to use
You want a quick screen of an income property's price relative to its rent, or to compare listings before analysing expenses.
Do not use when: Operating expenses or vacancy matter for the decision (use cap-rate) or the property is financed and you want the return on your cash (use cash-on-cash-return). Informational only; not financial advice.
Formula
annual_gross_rent = annual_gross_rent or monthly_rent × 12; grm = property_price / annual_gross_rent; gross_yield_percent = 100 / grm
The GRM ignores vacancy, operating expenses, financing and taxes, so it is a screening ratio only; the 4–7 rule of thumb varies widely by market and property type. Informational mathematics only; not financial advice.
Inputs
| Parameter | Type | Unit | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
property_price | number | yes | Asking or purchase price. Range: > 0, ≤ 1000000000000 | |
annual_gross_rent | number | no | Total rent per year before expenses; takes precedence over monthly_rent. Range: > 0, ≤ 1000000000000 | |
monthly_rent | number | no | Monthly rent (× 12), used when annual_gross_rent is omitted. Range: > 0, ≤ 10000000000 |
Outputs
| Output | Type | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
annual_gross_rent | number | annual_gross_rent, or monthly_rent × 12. | |
grm | number | property_price / annual_gross_rent. | |
years_of_rent_to_pay_price | number | years | Same number as the GRM, read as a payback time in years of gross rent. |
gross_yield_percent | number | % | annual_gross_rent / property_price × 100 = 100 / GRM. |
interpretation | string | Position relative to the commonly cited 4–7 range; a lower GRM means less price per unit of rent, which favours buyers. |
Example
300,000 price, 30,000 annual rent: {"property_price":300000,"annual_gross_rent":30000} → {"annual_gross_rent":30000,"grm":10,"years_of_rent_to_pay_price":10,"gross_yield_percent":10,"interpretation":"High (above the typical 4–7 range): price is high relative to rent; lower is better for buyers"}
250,000 price, 1,800 monthly rent: {"property_price":250000,"monthly_rent":1800} → {"annual_gross_rent":21600,"grm":11.57,"gross_yield_percent":8.64}
GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/gross-rent-multiplier?property_price=300000&annual_gross_rent=30000
Machine access
- API:
GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/gross-rent-multiplier(query parameters) orPOSTwith a JSON body{"inputs": {...}} - Schema: https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/gross-rent-multiplier · Markdown: https://tttkmbb.com/investing/gross-rent-multiplier.md · JSON definition: https://tttkmbb.com/investing/gross-rent-multiplier.json
- MCP: server
https://tttkmbb.com/mcp, toolrun_calculator with calculator_id="gross-rent-multiplier" - OpenAPI operationId:
calculate_gross_rent_multiplier - Freshness:
static. Authentication: none. Rate limit: fair use (see rate limits).
Sources
- Wikipedia – Gross rent multiplier (reference)
- Wikipedia – Capitalization rate (reference)
FAQ
Is a low GRM always good?
Not necessarily: a low multiplier can signal high expenses, a weak neighbourhood or deferred maintenance. Confirm with the cap rate and a full expense analysis.
Gross or net rent?
Gross: the multiplier uses rent before any expenses, which is why it can be computed from a listing alone.
Related calculators
- Cap Rate Calculator — Yield after vacancy and operating expenses.
- Rental Yield Calculator — Gross and net yield of a rental home.
- Rent vs. Buy Calculator — Compare renting and buying the same home.