Last updated: June 2026
Total ROI on Accra property is rental yield plus appreciation. Studios and one-bedrooms lead on yield, toward the top of the 8% to 11% gross range; three-bedrooms and penthouses show lower percentage yields but lean on capital growth. With appreciation around 8% to 10% a year in prime corridors, combined gross returns reach well into double digits before costs. No return is guaranteed.
Investors often ask which unit gives the best return, but the honest answer depends on what kind of return you want. This breakdown sets out how ROI shifts from studio to penthouse, with a clearly illustrative example. It builds on our rental yield breakdown.
How to think about ROI
Return on investment has two engines: the rental yield you earn each year, and the appreciation in the property’s value over time. A unit can be strong on one and modest on the other, so judge them together rather than chasing yield alone or growth alone.
The mistake is to compare a high-yield studio with a high-growth penthouse as if they were the same product. They serve different goals, and the right pick is the one that matches yours.
ROI by unit type
Studios sit at the top of the yield range and lean on income. One and two-bedrooms balance income and growth with the deepest tenant pool. Three-bedrooms and penthouses show lower percentage yields but carry strong appreciation and trophy value, so their return leans on capital growth.
| Unit type | Indicative gross yield | Indicative appreciation | Return leans on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Toward the top of 8% to 11% | 8% to 10% a year | Income |
| One to two-bedroom | 8% to 11% | 8% to 10% a year | A balance of income and growth |
| Three-bedroom | Toward the lower end | 8% to 10% a year | Growth and stability |
| Penthouse | Lowest yield % | 8% to 10%, with trophy-unit upside | Capital growth and prestige |
If income is the goal, the smaller units lead, and a studio can earn strongly on short lets. If you want capital growth with prestige, the larger units make the case.
A worked example
Take a hypothetical unit priced at 100,000 in any currency. At a 9% gross yield it earns 9,000 a year in rent, and at 9% appreciation it gains 9,000 a year in value, for an indicative combined gross return near 18% before costs and tax. This is an illustration of the maths, not a quote or a forecast.
| Component | Illustrative figure | On a hypothetical 100,000 unit |
|---|---|---|
| Gross rental yield | 9% a year | 9,000 a year in rent |
| Appreciation | 9% a year | 9,000 a year in value growth |
| Indicative total return | About 18% a year (gross, before costs) | Combined, before costs and tax |
Real returns are lower after service charge, management, vacancy and tax, and they vary by unit and year. The point of the example is the structure: two engines working together, not one.
Run the ROI on a real unit
Imaani apartments span studios to penthouses in prime Accra corridors, priced in USD and delivered on a 100% on-time record. Ask us for the yield and growth picture on a specific unit.
Explore the investment caseWhere the appreciation comes from
Appreciation in Accra is driven by a structural housing shortage of around 1.8 million units, steady urban and diaspora demand, and Accra’s role as the AfCFTA secretariat city. Prime corridors capture most of it, which is why location sets the ceiling on your total return.
For the detail on capital growth, see how much Accra property has appreciated.
The off-plan angle
Buying off-plan can lift ROI by letting you enter at the launch price and capture the uplift to the finished-unit value, on top of yield and appreciation. The trade-off is completion risk, which a developer with a delivery record reduces.
We cover that strategy in off-plan investment: buy at launch, resell on completion.
About Imaani Homes
Imaani Homes is an Accra-based luxury real estate developer, established in 2019, building investment-grade apartments in Ghana’s most prestigious addresses. Across four developments we have delivered every project on time, with two fully sold out: JAK Royale, our debut development, and The Ivy. Alexis Residence in Tesano is over 90% sold, and our flagship Regalia, in the Airport Residential Area, is open for reservations. Our standard is simple: the right property, in the right address, delivered exactly as promised.
Frequently asked questions
How is ROI calculated on Accra property?
Total ROI combines two parts: the rental yield (income as a share of price) and capital appreciation (the rise in the property’s value). A prime Accra apartment yielding 8% to 11% gross with 8% to 10% annual appreciation has a combined return well into double digits before costs.
Which unit type gives the best ROI?
It depends on whether you want income or growth. Studios and one-bedrooms lead on rental yield, so they suit income investors. Larger units and penthouses show lower percentage yields but carry strong appreciation and trophy value, so their return leans on capital growth.
What return can I expect overall?
Combining a gross yield of 8% to 11% with appreciation of 8% to 10% a year points to a strong double-digit gross total return in prime corridors, before costs and tax. Net returns are lower, and no return is guaranteed; treat any single figure as indicative.
Does buying off-plan change the ROI?
It can improve it. Buying at the launch price and reselling or letting on completion can add an early uplift on top of yield and appreciation, because you enter below the finished-unit price. That upside comes with completion risk.
What most affects my total return?
Location, unit type, whether you let short or long, your costs and tax, and the developer’s delivery. Of these, location and unit choice set the ceiling, while management and costs decide how much of it you keep.
Want the numbers for your budget?
Tell us your budget and whether you want income or growth, and we will model an indicative return for units that fit.
Talk to our teamImportant notice. The figures in this article, including yields, prices, costs, tax rates, and timelines, are indicative estimates based on current market conditions and public sources, and are provided for general information only. They are not guarantees, forecasts, or financial, legal, or tax advice. Actual figures vary with circumstances and change over time. Before making any decision, seek independent professional advice. All purchases are governed solely by the terms of the relevant Sales and Purchase Agreement.