House Flip Profit Calculator & ARV Deal Analyzer
Estimate your profit and return on a house flip from purchase price, rehab costs, financing, holding costs and resale value — with a 70% rule check and a delay stress test.
—
All-in cost basis
ARV − purchase price
—
A common target is 10% or more
Itemized Cash Flow & Expense Ledger
Every cost of the flip, from purchase to sale.
| Phase / Expense Category | Planned Budget | Per-Month Burn | % of Gross ARV |
|---|
The 70% Rule & Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO)
Many flippers use the 70% rule as a quick screen: pay no more than 70% of the after-repair value minus the repair budget.
Holding Cost Erosion & Delay Sensitivity
Time is one of the biggest risks in a flip. Interest and carrying costs run every month the property is unsold, and permit or contractor delays add up quickly.
What holding costs cover
Holding costs are often underestimated by new flippers — they include property taxes, insurance, utilities, loan interest (if the purchase is financed), and HOA fees accrued during the time between purchase and sale. The longer a renovation takes, the more these costs add up, which is part of why timeline overruns can quietly erode profit even when the renovation budget itself stays on track.
Building a realistic timeline buffer into your holding cost estimate — rather than assuming a best-case renovation schedule — tends to produce a more reliable profit projection.
By Suhaib Hassan · Formula verified 27 Sep 2026 · How CalculatePilot verifies formulas →
Why accurate ARV estimation matters most
The after-repair value (ARV) is typically the single most sensitive number in this calculation — since it's an estimate of a future sale price rather than a known figure, an overly optimistic ARV can make a marginal deal look profitable on paper when it isn't. Basing ARV on recent comparable sales in the immediate area, ideally reviewed by a local real estate agent or appraiser, produces a more reliable projection than a rough guess.
Selling costs (agent commissions, closing costs, and staging) commonly run 8-10% of the sale price and are easy to underestimate — always build this into your profit calculation rather than treating the full ARV as available profit.
Frequently asked questions
What's typically included in selling costs?
Real estate agent commissions, closing costs, and often staging or minor prep costs — commonly totaling around 8-10% of the sale price, though this varies by market and negotiated agent rates.
Why is ARV the most important number to get right?
Because it's an estimate of a future sale price rather than a known figure, an overly optimistic ARV can make an unprofitable deal look attractive on paper — basing it on solid recent comparable sales data significantly improves the reliability of the whole projection.