What the numbers actually show
Three arguments the engine can settle, each with the evidence computed rather than quoted. If the criteria change, the tables below change with them — which is the only way a claim about numbers stays honest.
Property tax decides more deals than price does
Change nothing about a rental except which state it sits in, and the verdict flips from strong pass to fail. The tax line moves the answer further than most price negotiations do.
Read itWhy rent-to-price collapses as price rises
Rent as a share of price is not a constant. It falls hard as price rises, which is why an expensive house almost never works as a straightforward rental — and why the 1% rule is useless above the bottom of the market.
Read itCap rate, DSCR and cash-on-cash are the same number
Hold the financing constant and cap rate, DSCR and cash-on-cash become exact rescalings of one another. Three metrics agreeing is not three pieces of evidence.
Read itOr start with a metric
The formula, what counts as good, and what each number hides — worked on the same example deal so you can see where they disagree.