Turn Cost Recapture Calculator

Unit turns cost money, but also let LL reset rent to market. This calculator shows months to recapture turn cost.

Turn cost

Prior monthly rent

New monthly rent

Months to recoup

8 mo

Monthly rent bump

$150

Annual rent bump

$1,800

How the math works

Recapture months = turn cost ÷ monthly rent bump. Simple payback.

If tenant stays 24+ months and recapture is 12 months, net win. Sub-12-month tenants on expensive turns are value-destructive — skip the renovation.

How to Use

Enter turn cost (paint, carpet, cleaning, repair).
Enter prior monthly rent.
Enter new monthly rent.
Read months to recoup turn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical recapture?

6-18 months for a $1-2k turn with $100-$200 rent bump. Longer (24-36 mo) on luxury units with $3-5k turn. Calculate before investing to know it's worth it.

When does recapture fail?

If rent bump < turn amortization, net economics lose. Might still be worth it for tenant quality upgrade. But track the math.

How to cut turn cost?

Standardize finishes (same paint color, flooring type). Bulk-contract with vendors. Train maintenance for in-house turn. Top operators turn for 30-40% less than amateur LLs.

What does competitive benchmarking look like?

Pull 3-5 comparable properties or units in your submarket from CoStar, Yardi, CIM, or your local broker. Normalize by unit type, class, and age. Your outputs should fall within one standard deviation of the comp-set mean. Outliers are either opportunities or warning signs — dig into why. Monthly benchmarking keeps your portfolio on-market and pricing sharp.