How do I calculate cash flow on a Florida rental property?

Cash flow = Monthly Rent − (Mortgage PITI + Property Management + Vacancy Allowance + CapEx Reserve + Maintenance). For a $300K Florida SFR at 7% interest with 20% down, expect a $1,996 mortgage payment. Add $180 for management (at 10%), $130 for vacancy (8%), $150 for CapEx, and $120 for maintenance. If rent is $2,400, net cash flow is approximately -$176/month. At $2,800 rent, you're at +$224/month. The rent-to-price ratio (gross rent multiplier) must be at least 0.9% to 1.0% of purchase price for meaningful cash flow at today's interest rates.

What is a good monthly cash flow for a Florida rental property?

$200–$500/month net cash flow per unit is considered strong for a Florida SFR in 2026. Jacksonville and Ocala frequently hit this range. Miami and Fort Lauderdale typically generate $0–$150/month on conventional financing, which is why most Miami investors target appreciation rather than income. For a duplex or triplex, target $150–$300/month per unit for a healthy overall return.

What expenses do Florida landlords forget when calculating cash flow?

The four most commonly missed expenses: (1) Non-homestead property tax — as an investor, you lose the Save Our Homes cap, so taxes reset to full market value and can run 1.0–2.2% of market value annually. (2) Florida wind and flood insurance — coastal properties can cost $4,000–$12,000/year, not $1,200. (3) CapEx reserve — budget 1–1.5% of property value per year for roof, HVAC, plumbing, and appliances. (4) Vacancy — use 8% minimum for FL; don't assume 100% occupancy in your projections.

What is the rent-to-price ratio rule for Florida rental properties?

The '1% rule' (monthly rent ≥ 1% of purchase price) is the classic benchmark — a $250K property should rent for $2,500+. In 2026, true 1% deals are rare in Florida except in Jacksonville, Ocala, and parts of Tallahassee. Most FL investors now target 0.8%–0.9% and accept thinner cash flow in exchange for appreciation. Below 0.7%, you're almost certainly losing money on conventional financing at current rates.

How does a DSCR loan affect cash flow vs a conventional loan?

DSCR loans typically run 1–2% higher in interest rate than conventional investment property loans. On a $250K loan, a 7.5% DSCR rate adds roughly $175/month versus a 6.5% conventional rate — that's $2,100/year off your net cash flow. The tradeoff: DSCR loans require no income verification, allow LLC ownership, and qualify based solely on the property's rent. For investors with complex income structures or multiple properties, the cash flow cost is often worth the flexibility.

What is the average cap rate for rental properties in Florida in 2026?

Average cap rates by Florida market in Q1 2026: Jacksonville 6.8–7.2%, Ocala 7.0–7.8%, Tampa (East) 6.2–6.8%, Orlando (suburbs) 6.0–6.5%, Fort Myers 5.8–6.2%, Miami (inland) 5.2–5.8%, Miami Beach / Brickell 4.5–5.2%. Cap rate is calculated as Net Operating Income ÷ Purchase Price. It excludes financing, so it measures property-level returns independent of your loan terms.

How much do Florida landlords make per month after expenses?

Net monthly income after all expenses (before mortgage) for Florida SFRs averages $900–$1,400/month on well-priced properties. After the mortgage payment, net cash flow ranges from a loss of $200/month in expensive coastal markets to a gain of $400–$600/month in high-yield inland markets. The average cash-on-cash return for a Florida buy-and-hold investor in 2026 is 3–7%, heavily dependent on purchase price, market selection, and financing structure.

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Florida Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator: What Investors Actually Net in 2026

2026-04-26 · 7 min read

The 7 Inputs That Determine Your Florida Rental Cash Flow

Most beginner investors calculate: Rent − Mortgage = Cash Flow. That math is wrong by $400–$800/month — and it's the reason new investors get burned.

Real Florida rental cash flow requires 7 inputs:

1. Monthly Gross Rent +$X,XXX

2. Mortgage (PITI) −$X,XXX

3. Property Management (8–12% of rent) −$XXX

4. Vacancy (8% of rent for FL) −$XXX

5. CapEx Reserve (1–1.5% of value/year) −$XXX

6. Maintenance & Repairs −$XXX

7. Insurance + Property Tax (non-homestead) −$XXX

Each of these either reduces cash flow or kills it entirely. Florida investors routinely underestimate items 3, 5, and 7.

Florida Cash Flow Calculator: Real Numbers by City (2026)

Here’s what the actual cash flow math looks like on a $300K SFR with 20% down, conventional 30-year at 7.0%, across Florida’s top investor markets:

City	Avg Rent	Mortgage	All Expenses	Net Cash Flow
Jacksonville	$1,850	$1,596	$690	+$436/mo
Ocala	$1,650	$1,596	$660	+$294/mo
Tampa (East)	$2,100	$1,596	$720	+$384/mo
Orlando (suburbs)	$1,950	$1,596	$700	+$254/mo
Miami (inland)	$2,200	$1,596	$820	−$216/mo
Miami Beach / Brickell	$3,200	$3,192	$1,100	−$1,092/mo

*All expenses include non-homestead property tax, insurance, vacancy (8%), management (10%), CapEx, and maintenance. Miami Beach row assumes $600K entry price at 20% down.

The #1 Mistake Florida Investors Make With Their Cash Flow Math

The biggest error: using the seller’s property tax bill.

When a Florida homeowner sells their investment property, their tax bill reflects the homestead-assessed value — often 30–60% below market. As the new owner, you lose homestead protection immediately. Your assessment resets to full market value within 1–2 years.

Example: A seller pays $2,800/year in property taxes on a $340K Miami home because they’ve owned it for 20 years with Save Our Homes protection. Your actual bill as an investor: $6,200–$7,400/year. That’s $280–$380/month more than you modeled.

Always calculate property taxes using the current non-homestead millage rate at the county appraiser’s website — never the seller’s actual bill.

How to Instantly Analyze Any Florida Deal for Free

Instead of building your own spreadsheet, SpillDeals does this math automatically for every FL listing:

Pulls real-time market rents for the neighborhood
Calculates actual non-homestead property taxes using the county millage rate
Models 17 loan types including DSCR, FHA, conventional, and hard money
Outputs A–F grade based on cap rate, DSCR, CoC return, and cashflow
Runs in under 30 seconds on any Florida address

Alejandro Gonzalez is a Florida real estate investor and founder of SpillDeals — the only platform that grades every FL investment property A–F using live MLS data. Learn more →

Run any FL deal free at spilldeals.com →

Florida Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator: What Investors Actually Net in 2026

The 7 Inputs That Determine Your Florida Rental Cash Flow

Florida Cash Flow Calculator: Real Numbers by City (2026)

The #1 Mistake Florida Investors Make With Their Cash Flow Math

How to Instantly Analyze Any Florida Deal for Free

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