What Is the BRRRR Strategy?
BRRRR stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat — a proven method for building a rental portfolio while recycling your capital from deal to deal.
The concept is straightforward: purchase a property below market value, renovate it to increase its value, rent it to a tenant, refinance to pull your capital back out, then repeat the process with the recovered funds.
The Five Phases
1. Buy
Find properties priced below market value — distressed, outdated, or in need of cosmetic or structural work. The bigger the gap between purchase price and after-repair value (ARV), the more equity you can force.
2. Rehab
Execute a focused renovation that increases the property's value and makes it rent-ready. Stay disciplined on budget and timeline — every extra month holding the property eats into your return.
3. Rent
Place a qualified tenant and stabilize the property. Lenders will need to see rental income (via a lease or market rent appraisal) before approving the refinance.
4. Refinance
Once the property is stabilized, refinance into a long-term loan (typically a DSCR loan) based on the new appraised value. The goal is to pull out as much of your original capital as possible.
5. Repeat
Take the recovered capital and deploy it into the next deal. Each successful BRRRR cycle builds your portfolio without requiring significant new capital.
Financing the BRRRR
The BRRRR strategy typically requires two loans:
- 1Acquisition + Rehab — a fix-and-flip or bridge loan for the purchase and renovation
- 2Refinance — a DSCR or conventional loan for the long-term hold
Key Refinance Metrics
- LTV on refinance: Typically 70–80% of the new appraised value
- Seasoning: Some lenders require 3–6 months before refinancing off the new value
- DSCR requirement: Property income must cover the new debt payment (usually 1.0+)
Capital Recycling Example
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $150,000 |
| Rehab Budget | $40,000 |
| Total Basis | $190,000 |
| After-Repair Value (ARV) | $260,000 |
| Refinance at 75% LTV | $195,000 |
| Cash Recovered | $5,000 profit + all capital back |
In this example, the investor recovers 100% of their capital and keeps a cash-flowing rental property with $70,000 in forced equity.
Common BRRRR Mistakes
- Overpaying for the initial purchase
- Underestimating rehab costs or timeline
- Not confirming refinance eligibility before buying
- Overestimating ARV
- Ignoring holding costs between rehab and refinance
Tools
Use our BRRRR Calculator to model a full cycle, or talk to an advisor about structuring your next BRRRR deal.