Conventional pricing models for real estate investment are based on CAPM theory, in which yields and discount rates are calculated by first taking a Risk Free Rate (RFR) and then adding Risk Premia (RP), minus projected Growth (g). This is mathematically described by the following formula:
K = RFR + RFP - g
K = Yield/Discount Rate
RFR = Risk Free Rate (i.e. government bond redemption yields)
g = Growth Rate
The formula can be modified to account for all identifiable investment risks, which broadly fall into two categories, Market Risk (MR) and Property Risk (PR). The following provides an example:
K = RFR + RPMRM + RPPR – g + d
Market Risk and Property Risk can be further broken down into component risks such as economy and property market, location, liquidity, legal/regulatory and tenancy risk. Lastly, Depreciation d is added because of its drag on growth g, as buildings need to be maintained or upgraded to keep-up with market expectations. In some cases it may not be possible or even appropriate to apply Growth or Depreciation explicitly, such as in an unproven market, where growth cannot be measured accurately.