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Debt Yield Calculator

Debt yield is the rate-and-amortization-independent test commercial lenders use to size loans. This calculator returns the debt yield, the lender check, and the max loan amount at the lender's minimum.

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Debt yield

9.24%

NOI / loan amount

Lender check

Passes

vs 9.00% minimum

Max loan at min DY

$538,889

Headroom or shortage

$13,889

headroom for more loan

Why debt yield matters

Debt yield is independent of interest rate and amortization — it tests whether the property's NOI alone could service the debt at any rate environment. CMBS and life-co lenders use it to size loans alongside DSCR and LTV.

Common minimums: 8–9% for stabilized multifamily, 10%+ for retail/industrial, 11%+ for office in current cycles. Lower-quality assets and higher-vacancy markets trigger higher minimums.

How to Use

  1. Enter the property's annual NOI (use the NOI calculator if you need to build it).
  2. Enter the requested loan amount.
  3. Enter the lender's minimum debt yield — typically 8–11% depending on asset class.
  4. Read the debt yield, whether it passes, and the headroom or shortage vs the minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is debt yield?

Debt yield = annual NOI ÷ loan amount. It measures the return the lender would earn on the loan if they had to take the property back at the loan balance, before factoring in their own cost of capital.

Why do lenders use it instead of just DSCR?

DSCR depends on rate and amortization, both of which can fluctuate or be gamed (longer amortization = lower payment = higher DSCR). Debt yield doesn't — it's a rate-independent test of whether the property is overlevered.

What's a typical minimum?

8–9% for stabilized multifamily, 10–11% for retail and industrial, 11%+ for office in current cycles. Higher-risk assets and softer markets push minimums up.

How does this relate to cap rate?

Cap rate is NOI ÷ value. Debt yield is NOI ÷ loan. If LTV is 75%, debt yield = cap rate ÷ 0.75. So a 6% cap rate at 75% LTV produces an 8% debt yield.

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