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BRRRR Calculator: Model Your Refinance & Cash Left In

Free BRRRR calculator — model your all-in cost, ARV cash-out refinance, cash left in the deal, and post-refi DSCR so you know how much capital recycles before you repeat.

Use this BRRRR calculator to model a Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat deal end to end. Enter your purchase price, rehab budget, holding costs, and after-repair value (ARV), then set the refinance LTV, rate, and rent. The calculator returns your all-in cost, the ARV-based refinance loan, the cash left in the deal, the equity remaining, and the post-refinance DSCR — the five numbers that decide whether you can recycle your capital and repeat.

BRRRR calculator

Model all-in cost, ARV refinance, cash left in the deal, and post-refi DSCR. Results are estimates — not a loan offer.

Acquisition & rehab
Refinance & cash flow

All-in cost

Refinance loan

Cash left in deal

Equity remaining

Post-refi DSCR

The five BRRRR steps

The BRRRR strategy turns one pool of capital into a repeatable engine. Each letter is a stage, and the refinance is where the math either frees your money or traps it:

  1. Buy — acquire below market, usually all-cash or with short-term bridge or hard-money financing so you can close fast on a distressed property.
  2. Rehab — renovate to force appreciation. Your rehab budget plus purchase and holding costs is your all-in basis.
  3. Rent — place a tenant at market rent. Stabilized rent is what the DSCR lender underwrites at refinance.
  4. Refinance — replace the short-term debt with a long-term DSCR loan sized to the appraised ARV, pulling your capital back out.
  5. Repeat — redeploy the recovered cash into the next deal. The less cash left in, the faster you scale.

How the refinance recycles your capital

The refinance is the heart of BRRRR. The lender does not lend against what you paid — it lends against the appraised after-repair value. Multiply the ARV by the refinance LTV to get the loan, then subtract your all-in cost:

Cash left in = All-in cost − Refinance loan

When the refinance loan is smaller than your all-in cost, the difference stays trapped as cash left in the deal. When the loan is larger, that difference flips negative — the calculator relabels it "cash recouped" because you pulled every dollar back out plus a surplus. A true BRRRR aims for zero or negative cash left in, so 100% of your capital rolls into the next property. See how a DSCR cash-out refinance works for the mechanics of pulling equity out tax-deferred.

Why value seasoning and LTV cap your cash-out

Two limits govern how much you can actually pull out. First, seasoning: many lenders require 3–12 months of ownership before they will appraise at the new ARV instead of your purchase price. Refinance too early and the loan is sized to what you paid, leaving most of your rehab equity stuck. Review DSCR loan seasoning requirements before you pick a cash-out date.

Second, the LTV cap: most DSCR cash-out refinances top out at 70%–75% of ARV. Even a perfect rehab leaves the remaining 25%–30% as equity remaining — the cushion the lender requires and the wealth you keep building. Lower the LTV field in the calculator to see how a conservative appraisal or a tighter program shrinks your cash-out and raises the cash left in the deal.

How post-refinance DSCR must clear the lender's floor

A large loan on paper only funds if the rent supports it. Post-refi DSCR equals monthly net operating income divided by the new monthly principal and interest. If it falls below the lender's floor — commonly 1.0 to 1.25 depending on LTV and credit — you must reduce the loan amount, which directly increases the cash you leave behind. Model the coverage separately in our DSCR calculator, and read the full guide to mastering the BRRRR strategy for DSCR loan success to tie coverage and cash-out together.

Worked example: $165K buy, $255K ARV BRRRR

Line item Amount
Purchase price $165,000
Rehab budget $40,000
Holding & closing costs $12,000
All-in cost $217,000
After-repair value (ARV) $255,000
Refinance loan (75% LTV) $191,250
Cash left in deal (all-in − refi) $25,750
Equity remaining (ARV − refi) $63,750
New P&I on $191,250 @ 7.75%, 30yr $1,370/mo
NOI ($1,850 rent − $550 opex) $1,300/mo
Post-refi DSCR 0.95 — below 1.0; drop LTV or raise rent

This example leaves $25,750 in the deal and lands at a 0.95 DSCR — a signal to negotiate a lower basis, push rent, or accept a smaller loan. Raise ARV, raise rent, or buy deeper and the same model can push cash left in toward zero while clearing the DSCR floor. Not sure which product fits your exit? Find the right loan for your scenario or brush up on terminology in the DSCR glossary.

Pre-qualify for BRRRR refinance financing · (833) 264-7776

Calculator outputs are educational estimates only. Rates, terms, and LTV are offered only to qualified borrowers and are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to full underwriting. Jaken Finance Group only finances non-owner-occupied investment properties.

Frequently asked questions

What does the BRRRR calculator measure?
It measures the four numbers that decide whether a Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat deal works: your all-in cost (purchase + rehab + holding), the ARV-based refinance loan, the cash left in the deal after that refinance, and the post-refinance DSCR your rental must clear.
How is "cash left in the deal" calculated?
Cash left in = all-in cost − refinance loan amount. When the refinance loan exceeds your all-in cost the number goes negative, which means you recouped every dollar plus a tax-deferred surplus — the ideal BRRRR outcome.
What LTV can I expect on a BRRRR cash-out refinance?
Most DSCR cash-out refinances on non-owner-occupied properties cap at 70%–75% of the appraised after-repair value once seasoning is met. The calculator defaults to 75% LTV; lower it to stress-test a conservative appraisal.
Why does the post-refinance DSCR matter?
Even a full cash-out only funds if the stabilized rent covers the new loan. Post-refi DSCR = monthly NOI ÷ monthly principal and interest. If it falls below the lender floor (often 1.0–1.25), you must lower the loan amount, which leaves more cash trapped in the deal.
Does a BRRRR refinance require seasoning?
Many lenders require 3–12 months of ownership seasoning before they will lend against the appraised ARV instead of your purchase price. Some programs waive seasoning on documented rehab. Confirm the seasoning rule before you model a cash-out date.

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