BRRRR Calculator for
Houston Investors.
Houston is the largest, most heterogeneous metro on this list — and the most operationally complex. Flood zones, hurricane insurance, 2.2% Harris County property tax, and price points from $90k to $500k+ all factor into BRRRR math. The 75% LTV math still works in the right sub-markets.
Defaults: 90% purchase + 100% rehab on hard money at 11% / 2pts, 75% LTV refi at 7%, 5% vacancy, 8% management, 5% maintenance reserve, 5% CapEx reserve. Sign up to override every assumption.
National defaults seeded above. For Houston — purchase $120k–$280k, ARV $200k–$380k, rehab at $35–$65/sqft. CRITICAL — verify flood zone before offer, set insurance as dollar figure based on Texas Gulf Coast quotes, set property tax based on HCAD assessed value × 2.2% effective rate.
Houston Market Profile (2025)
Working ranges drawn from HAR / HCAD records, Houston PM benchmarks, and Texas Gulf Coast investor community data. Houston has the highest sub-market variance in the country — verify each deal by zip + flood zone.
Ranges current to 2025. Houston Heights, Montrose, Bellaire run dramatically above median. Acres Homes, Sunnyside, parts of southeast Houston run below. Flood zone designation changes pricing significantly.
What's Different About BRRRR in Houston
Houston is the most operationally complex BRRRR market on this list. Five factors that change the underwriting.
Flood zone designation is a deal-defining variable. Houston sits in a flood-prone Gulf Coast plain, and 25%+ of the metro is in a FEMA-designated flood zone (Zone AE, X-shaded, or the actual 100-year floodplain). Properties in flood zones require flood insurance (typically $1,200–$4,000/year on a single-family rental), have a smaller buyer pool at refi time, and can appraise 5–15% below comparable non-flood-zone properties. Hurricane Harvey (2017) reset flood zone perception across Houston — properties that flooded once carry permanent comp discount. Always pull the FEMA flood map for the specific address (MSC.FEMA.gov free tool) before the offer. If the property is in Zone AE or worse, add flood insurance to the calculator and underwrite ARV at the lower comp percentile.
Hurricane insurance is its own cost category. Texas Gulf Coast properties carry wind/hail riders, separate hurricane deductibles (typically 2% of dwelling value — not a flat $1,000–$2,500), and 2x–3x the base insurance premium of inland Texas equivalents. A $250k Houston rental quotes $2,200–$3,500/year for landlord DP-3 with hurricane coverage. The same property in DFW quotes $1,800–$2,500/year. The same property in Oklahoma quotes $1,100–$1,800/year. Plug actual Houston quotes into the calculator above as dollar figures, not percentage estimates.
Harris County property tax — major but slightly less brutal than Dallas.Harris County effective property tax runs 2.1–2.3% of assessed value, fractionally lower than Dallas County's 2.4%. On a $230k stabilized rental at 2.2%, that's $5,060/yr — $422/month — coming off rent. Still 3x what Oklahoma County charges. Houston also has city-specific MUD (Municipal Utility District) taxes in some areas that add another 0.5–1.5% on top of base property tax. Always pull the HCAD record for the exact effective rate including MUD assessments.
Climate-specific rehab line items.Houston's heat, humidity, and storm exposure add rehab costs that don't exist in other Texas markets. HVAC systems work harder — replacement runs $10k–$14k for a full system on a 1,800 sqft house (vs. $9k–$12k in DFW). Moisture management, vapor barriers, and drainage improvements are common rehab line items. Hurricane-resistant roofing (impact-rated shingles) adds 15–25% to roof replacement cost but lowers insurance premium. Storm shutters or impact glass on coastal-adjacent properties is a real budget item.
Houston BRRRR underwriting checklist. FEMA flood map check on the exact address before offer — non-negotiable. Three solds within 0.5 miles and 60 days at similar finish AND similar flood zone designation. HCAD assessed value × 2.2% effective rate for property tax (verify MUD assessment). Live Texas Gulf Coast insurance quote with hurricane rider — never a percentage estimate. Rehab priced at three live Houston subcontractor quotes. ARV stress-tested at 5% market drift. Foundation inspection (Houston clay is similar to DFW). Hit those and Houston BRRRR pencils — though deal selection is more critical than in OKC or Tulsa.
Save the deal. Track Houston-specific cost lines. Export the refi PDF.
Free calculator above runs one Houston BRRRR. Full Value Add Calculator generates AI scope from property photos, tracks Houston-priced rehab against budget, models flood / hurricane line items, and exports lender refi PDFs.
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