Effective Gross Income

Effective Gross Income (EGI) in Commercial Real Estate

Effective Gross Income (EGI) is a critical financial metric used in commercial mortgage underwriting to estimate the actual revenue a property is expected to generate after accounting for real-world factors. While Potential Gross Income represents the "best-case scenario," EGI provides a more realistic view of a property's income potential by subtracting expected losses and adding secondary revenue streams.

Components of Effective Gross Income

To calculate EGI, lenders and investors analyze three primary components:

• Potential Gross Income (PGI): This is the total amount of rent a property would generate if it were 100% occupied and all tenants paid their rent on time at the current market rate. It is the theoretical maximum income.
• Vacancy and Credit Loss: This represents an allowance for units that may sit empty between leases (vacancy) and for tenants who fail to pay their rent (credit loss). Lenders typically use a percentage based on local market averages or the property's historical performance to account for these inevitable losses.
• Other Income: This includes revenue generated from sources other than base rent. Common examples include parking fees, laundry facilities, vending machines, storage unit rentals, late fees, and billboard income.

The EGI Formula

The standard formula for determining Effective Gross Income is as follows:

Potential Gross Income - Vacancy and Credit Loss + Other Income = Effective Gross Income

Significance in Commercial Mortgages

Lenders prioritize EGI because it serves as the foundation for calculating Net Operating Income (NOI), which is the figure used to determine how much debt a property can support. When evaluating a commercial mortgage application, lenders use EGI to:

• Assess Risk: High vacancy or credit loss assumptions in the EGI calculation may signal a risky asset or a declining market, potentially leading to more stringent loan terms.
• Determine Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR): Lenders want to ensure that the actual income (EGI) minus operating expenses leaves enough cash to comfortably cover the annual mortgage payments.
• Value the Property: Since commercial property values are largely driven by the income they produce, an accurate EGI is essential for determining the appraised value and the maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio allowed for the mortgage.

In summary, while Potential Gross Income describes what a building could earn, the Effective Gross Income tells the lender what the building actually earns, making it one of the most important figures in the commercial loan approval process.