Best for
Investors screening a lot of listings
Buyers who need a fast yes/no filter
Agents reviewing deal flow with clients
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Screen more deals without marrying every spreadsheet.
A fast one-page model for deciding whether a listing deserves deeper underwriting or should be skipped.
What's inside
Basic income and expense inputs
Quick deal health view
Simple assumptions for early triage
A path into deeper models when needed
Use it when
Use it on a batch of listings before showings.
Rule out weak deals quickly.
Move promising deals into a full model.
Not every deal deserves an hour
The simple pro forma is for speed. It gives you enough structure to avoid chasing every listing while still catching the deals worth a closer look.
Graduate when needed
If the simple pro forma looks promising, move the property into the rental underwriting model, cash flow model, or IRR calculator depending on the strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Simple Pro Forma FAQ
Short answers to common questions that come up before you use this resource or bring the next decision to Roots.
What is a pro forma in real estate?
A pro forma is a projection of a property's income, expenses, and cash flow based on expected rather than actual numbers. It is used to estimate how an investment is likely to perform. A simple one-page pro forma is most useful for quickly screening listings before committing to deeper analysis.
How do I quickly screen a rental property deal?
Estimate rent, subtract a rough allowance for expenses and vacancy, subtract the mortgage payment, and check whether the deal cash flows at all. A fast one-page screen lets you rule out weak listings in minutes so you only spend real time on the properties worth a full underwrite.
What is the 1 percent rule in real estate investing?
The 1 percent rule is a quick screen suggesting a rental's monthly rent should be at least 1 percent of the purchase price. It is a rough filter, not a verdict, and it is harder to hit in some markets. Use it to triage deals, then confirm with a full cash flow analysis.
How many deals should I analyze before making an offer?
Most investors review many listings for every one they pursue, since strong deals are not common. A fast pro forma makes that volume manageable. The goal is to quickly discard weak deals and move only the promising ones into detailed underwriting.
Keep going
Related Roots resources.
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