Free Rent included in total project costs?

Valuing a value-add deal that will require a significant amount of free rent to stabilize. Should this be included in my total project costs for my YOC calculation?

Thanks guys

16 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Yes. If your purchase price is $2,000,000 and your negative cash flow (read: carry costs) is $1,000,000, your total development cost is $3,000,000 - which is your denominator. If cash flow offsets TI/LC/Free rent, and you are planning to use that cash flow to pay for the TI/LC/Free rent, it won't be in your total cost. However, your milage may vary, every firm will look at this different, especially as, leasing can be chunky and a model is never correct. If you are capitalizing TI/LC/Free rent up front in the deal, whether by equity or debt, you should include it in the denominator. 

Also, maybe just speak with your boss/the principals of your firm. They will tell you how they want to see it. Every firm looks at these numbers different. Some only care about untrended yield on cost, some care only about trended yield on cost, some capitalize expenses up front and some do not. It just depends on where you work. If I were you, I would go speak with your boss.  

 

Wouldn’t it just be taken up in carrying costs? Assuming the first year or two has negative cash flow, and you use either equity or debt to pay carrying costs, this will get counted already. So there is no need to add it again. If you don’t have negative cash flow, I wouldn’t add it to your costs, because technically, the building can afford it. It’s a ‘cost’ but it’s not a true ‘cost’ if that makes sense. 

 

You have to include it some way or the other, as you mentioned there's significant free rent required to stabilize the property. Either reduce your cashflow revenue, or just add the free rent as an expense. If you're doing YOC in year 3, include the free rent and TIs as part of the cost.

You can do 2 calculations, one with the free rent and TI in the denominator, and one without for reference purposes - "stabilized" YOC.
  

PropMetrica | Multifamily underwriting template
 

Aliquid enim perspiciatis incidunt ut commodi. Et minima nemo voluptatibus error a. Sed eaque beatae reiciendis facere. Reiciendis iusto est tempora et odit et in vel. Voluptatem ipsum saepe aut quos.

Magni consequuntur et repudiandae cum ullam et quo. Nulla officiis ad atque. Sed doloremque dolor rerum laboriosam est dicta.

Labore deserunt sit modi facere. Quia harum beatae voluptatem autem animi. Voluptate ratione ea id aut. Recusandae itaque in labore explicabo et aut libero. Accusantium facere voluptatem libero iure nihil debitis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”