What financial measure indicates a property’s viability as an investment?

The net operating income (NOI) is a crucial financial metric used to assess a property's viability as an investment. It represents the income generated from a property after deducting all operating expenses, excluding debt service and taxes. This measure allows investors to evaluate how effectively the property is generating income relative to its costs.

A positive NOI indicates that a property is generating sufficient revenue to cover its operating costs, making it a potentially good investment. Conversely, a negative NOI suggests that the property is not performing well financially and may not be a suitable investment option.

Other factors, such as location, historical market trends, and architectural features, certainly play important roles in determining the overall attractiveness of a property. However, they do not provide a direct measurement of the property's financial performance like the net operating income does. Without a solid NOI, no matter how desirable a location or appealing the architecture might be, the property may not be a viable investment.