Understanding The BRRRR Method (2024)

Table of Contents
Buy Rehab Rent Refinance Repeat FAQs

When practicing the BRRRR Method, it’s important to take the following steps in their exact order. Here are a few tips for following each step of the process.

Buy

The BRRRR Strategy relies on you purchasing a distressed property in need of updates and repairs, so it may be hard to get a traditional mortgage on the home. There are a few reasons for this. Most lenders require an appraisal on the property, but the value is difficult to assess on this type of property. Depending on the type of loan you get, the property may also need to pass specific guidelines to qualify. A distressed property will most likely not meet those requirements.

Before you rule out financing completely, talk to a lender to see if you do have any options. It may be possible to use a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a hard money loan to finance the purchase, but these options can be high-risk and are often not recommended.

When buying a distressed property, it’s important to calculate the after-repair value (ARV). ARV is the estimated value of the home after you renovate or rehab the property. To determine ARV, you compare the planned final result of the home to similar homes, or comparables, that have recently sold in the area. These homes should be similar in size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, age, type of build and condition.

When deciding how much to offer on the home, follow the 70% rule in real estate. Avoid investing more than 70% of the property’s ARV. For example, if a home’s ARV is $300,000, you shouldn’t pay more than $210,000 for the home.

Rehab

When you rehab a home, the first improvements you’ll need to make are any that will bring the home up to code and ensure it’s safe to live in. Next, you’ll want to identify the types of improvements that will truly increase value. These may include updating the kitchen and bathroom, improving the curb appeal and installing energy-efficient windows, appliances and other features.

Before you start your project, make sure you create a realistic budget and timeline for it.

Rent

It’s important to find renters before you refinance (the next step) because lenders generally won’t refinance until a property has tenants.

When it comes to choosing tenants, you’ll want to look for certain qualities:

  • A good record of on-time payments
  • A stable job with steady income
  • A good credit report
  • No criminal behavior or history of eviction
  • Positive references

You can find this information by meeting with the potential tenant, having them fill out an application, reviewing their credit report, asking for references and performing a background check. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you get their consent and follow all housing laws.

When determining the rent, it’s important that it’s both fair to your renter and able to produce a positive cash flow for you. You can determine this by subtracting the total expenses to own the home from the total amount of monthly rent you’ll charge. Let’s say you charge $1,500 per month for rent and your mortgage payment is $800. Barring any other expenses, your cash flow is $700 per month. Look at rental rate comparables to help you find the right price.

Refinance

In the BRRRR method, you do a cash-out refinance on your investment property so you can use the money to purchase another distressed property to flip and rent out. To do this, you’ll need to find a lender that offers a cash-out refinance, and you’ll need to meet the qualifications of the loan.

While the lender may have its own set of requirements, you’ll need to meet a minimum credit score requirement (typically around 620 for a cash-out refinance), a maximum debt-to-income ratio (usually around 50% or less) and have equity in the home. You may also need to own the property for a certain amount of time before you can get a cash-out refinance.

Keep in mind that you’ll also need an appraisal – and there may be additional fees, including closing costs, that you’ll need to pay to do the loan.

Repeat

In the final step of the BRRRR Method, you’ll go back and repeat the previous steps, in the same order as before. If you want to continue to repeat these steps, it’s a good idea to take notes each time you go through the process so you can learn from past mistakes.

Understanding The BRRRR Method (2024)

FAQs

Understanding The BRRRR Method? ›

What is BRRRR, and what does it stand for? Letter by letter, BRRRR stands for “Buy, rehab, rent, refinance and repeat.” It's like flipping, but instead of selling the property after renovation, you rent it out with an eye on long-term appreciation.

What is the 70% rule for Brrr? ›

Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home. The ARV of a property is the amount a home could sell for after flippers renovate it.

What is the 75% rule for Brrr? ›

But how do you know if you've found a great deal? You've probably heard of the 75% rule before — it states that an investor should pay no more than 75% of the ARV (After Repair Value) of a property. For BRRRR, though, you'll also need to consider holding costs.

Does the BRRRR method really work? ›

The BRRRR strategy is an effective way to buy and hold investment properties with easier access to your capital since you don't need to sell the property to get money or pay short-term capital gains taxes, which reduces your upfront profit.

What is the 1% rule in BRRRR? ›

What is the 1% Rule in BRRRR? The 1% rule in BRRRR investing is a quick method to determine how much rent to charge as a landlord. If you follow the 1% rule, the rent you charge your potential tenants should equal at least 1% of what you paid for the house, including renovation costs, repairs, and other improvements.

What are the downsides of Brrr? ›

Disadvantages of the BRRRR Strategy
  • You need to qualify for a mortgage in order to purchase a property. ...
  • You have to find a deal that makes sense. ...
  • You may have to leave some of your initial investment in the deal.
Mar 15, 2023

What are the disadvantages of BRRRR? ›

The BRRRR Method has risks as well. Some cons to consider include: The cost and work to rehab a home. The added costs of a more expensive or riskier loan.

Is BRRRR better than flipping? ›

The BRRRR method, if executed correctly, provides a continuous stream of funds indefinitely, in contrast to the one-time profit of a flip. Nevertheless, both strategies offer opportunities for quicker cash and potential leverage. The goal remains the same: to create equity and capitalize on that profit.

Do you pay taxes on Brrr? ›

Because you are retaining the property to rent to tenants, you have not disposed of (sold) the property therefore there are no company or personal taxes to pay on any sale at the moment. Eventual sale and rental profits are however taxable.

What is the 50% rule in real estate? ›

The 50% rule or 50 rule in real estate says that half of the gross income generated by a rental property should be allocated to operating expenses when determining profitability. The rule is designed to help investors avoid the mistake of underestimating expenses and overestimating profits.

What is the 1 rule in real estate? ›

The 1% rule of real estate investing measures the price of an investment property against the gross income it can generate. For a potential investment to pass the 1% rule, its monthly rent must equal at least 1% of the purchase price.

How do I start my first BRRRR? ›

How the BRRRR method works
  1. Buy. The first step is to find a property that has potential. ...
  2. Rehab. Once you've found a property, the next step is to rehab it. ...
  3. Rent. After the property is rehabbed, it's time to start renting it out. ...
  4. Refinance. ...
  5. Repeat. ...
  6. Potentials pros. ...
  7. Potential cons.

How much money do you need to start BRRRR? ›

How Much Money Do I Need to Started The BRRRR Method? The amount that one needs varies, but it is usually about $50-$150K at a minimum because these numbers reflect what would be needed if purchasing another real estate property using BRRRR investing.

What is an example of a Brrr strategy? ›

Here's a simplified version of the BRRRR method (we're not including fees or taxes in this example): Buy a $300,000 house ($60,000 down payment; $240,000 loan) Spend $60,000 Rehabbing the property ($60,000 down payment + $60,000 rehab costs = $120,000 total investment) Rent the property for $1,500 per month.

How long does the BRRRR method take? ›

How long does BRRRR investing take? Ideally, you should aim to complete a BRRRR project within 4-12 months. The timelines are very similar to what you would aim for when completing a fix and flip.

What is the BRRRR method with no money? ›

The BRRRR method with no money goes through 5 step-by-step processes. In line with its name, BRRRR is an acronym for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, and Repeat. Each step should be executed smartly to be profitable and then repeated within the next cycle.

How much money do you need to brrr? ›

How Much Money Do I Need to Started The BRRRR Method? The amount that one needs varies, but it is usually about $50-$150K at a minimum because these numbers reflect what would be needed if purchasing another real estate property using BRRRR investing.

What is the rule of 72 in real estate? ›

Just take the number 72 and divide it by the interest rate you hope to earn. That number gives you the approximate number of years it will take for your investment to double.

What is the rule of 72 in rental property? ›

You take the number 72 and divide it by the investment's projected annual return. The result is the number of years, approximately, it'll take for your money to double.

What is the rule of 70 in insurance? ›

Eligibility for Retiree Health and Life Insurance Benefits

Rule of 70: the employee's age plus years of continuous, full-time service equal 70 or more, and the employee is at least age 55, with at least ten years of continuous, full-time service.

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