5 Metrics Every Property Investor Should Track Monthly
The 5 property investment metrics to track monthly: net cashflow, net yield, equity, local rent and vacancy, and total return. The numbers serious investors live by.
Most investors check their property's value and call that "tracking." It is not. Five numbers actually tell you whether your investment is working, and the smart investors watch all of them every month.
Here is what to track, and why each one matters.
1. Net cashflow
Net cashflow is the money left after every cost, including the mortgage. It is the single most important number for survival.
A property slipping from positive to negative cashflow is the earliest warning that something needs attention. Catch it monthly, not at tax time.
2. Net rental yield
Net yield is your income after holding costs, as a percentage of value. It strips away the flattering gross figure.
Tracked over time, it reveals compression. A falling net yield means costs are rising or rents are lagging, and both deserve a closer look.
3. Equity and LVR
Your equity position and loan-to-value ratio show how much of the property you actually own, and how much borrowing headroom you have.
This matters most when you want to buy again. Rising equity is what funds your next deposit.
The number: Total return equals capital growth plus net rental income, after all holding costs. It is the one metric that captures both halves of your investment. Track it monthly and the trend tells you whether to hold, refinance, or sell.
4. Local rent and vacancy trends
The health of your suburb's rental market predicts your income. Local vacancy and asking rents move before your own rent does.
Falling vacancy signals room to raise rent at renewal. Rising vacancy is an early warning to hold steady.
5. Total return
Total return combines capital growth with net rental income. It is the truest measure of how the investment is performing.
A property can grow in value while bleeding cash, or earn well while stagnating. Only total return shows the full picture.
The bottom line
Tracking value alone tells you almost nothing about whether your property is working. Net cashflow, net yield, equity, local rental trends, and total return are the five numbers that do, and checking them monthly turns problems into early signals. Clear Yield calculates all five automatically for every property in your portfolio, updating as values and rents move. No spreadsheets required.