The occupancy at which the effective gross income is equal to the sum of the operating expenses plus debt service. Breakeven occupancy is an important metric for lenders, developers, and operators as it is the point at which the property shifts from an operating deficit to an operating surplus. Real estate owners will often use rent concessions to speed the investment to breakeven.
Point at which EGI = OpEx + DS; also the point at which DSCR = 1.00X
Example: A property has a potential gross income of $1,000 with $500 in operating expenses and $250 in debt service. Breakeven occupancy in this case would be calculated as (500 + 250) ÷ 1,000 = 75%.