Choose the starting point before adding costs
A startup budget answers how much cash is needed from where you are now. Someone who already owns a suitable property has a different starting point from someone funding a purchase or signing a lease. Mixing those arrangements can make a budget appear larger or smaller without explaining why.
The startup cost calculator shows different entry fields for already own, buy, and lease. Amounts from a hidden arrangement are excluded, so a previously entered deposit does not remain in a purchase calculation.
If you already own the property
Focus on cash still needed to prepare it: furnishings, repairs, initial supplies, safety equipment, professional services, photography, and any applicable permits or registrations. A historical purchase price is not new startup cash from this point forward.
Owning the property does not mean operating costs disappear. Mortgage payments, insurance, taxes, utilities, or other ongoing obligations belong in the monthly profit calculator. Existing equity and opportunity cost are outside this launch-cash tool.
If you are buying
For a cash purchase, the full purchase price contributes to upfront cash. For a financed purchase, the entered down payment contributes to upfront cash, and the remaining purchase balance is shown separately. Add your actual closing, inspection, and upfront financing costs where applicable.
No down-payment rate, mortgage rate, lender fee, or closing-cost percentage is supplied. Use your own quotes. The calculator rejects a down payment larger than the purchase price, and it does not count the financed balance again as cash required at launch.
If you are leasing
Enter the security deposit, prepaid rent, and other lease-entry charges separately. A deposit may be refundable, but you still need that money at the start. The calculator shows it as part of entry cash without describing it as a permanent operating expense.
Confirm independently that the intended activity is permitted by the lease and applicable rules before making a commitment. This calculator models money; it does not review agreements, determine permissions, or provide local legal requirements.
Add the shared setup layer
All three arrangements then use the same guest-ready setup categories, an editable setup contingency, and an operating cash reserve. Use the furnishing tool to develop the furnishings subtotal. Use the supply calculator to estimate initial guest-consumable quantities and price them using your own purchases.
When comparing arrangements, keep the same setup scope. Otherwise one scenario may look less expensive simply because you left out furniture or reserve cash. The reserve and double-counting guide explains how to keep the final total consistent.