Buy & Hold Financing

DSCR Rental Loans — No Income Verification, 30-Year Fixed From 6.5%

Qualify on your rental property's cash flow — not your W-2s or tax returns. Sab Tera Lending is a direct private lender offering 30-year fixed DSCR loans from 6.5%, up to 80% LTV, across 20 service areas including New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Texas.

No W-2s or Tax Returns Vacant Properties OK STR / Airbnb Accepted LLC & Foreign National OK
Program Overview

DSCR Rental Loan Program Details

Loan Amount
$75,000+
No stated maximum; portfolio size unlimited
Interest Rate
From 6.5%
30-year fixed; rate depends on DSCR & LTV
Loan Term
30 Years
Fixed rate — fully amortizing
Max LTV
Up to 80%
Purchase or rate/term refinance
DSCR Minimum
1.0x
0.75x available — no-ratio program
Income Docs
None Required
No W-2s, no tax returns, no pay stubs
Credit Score
No Minimum
Approval based on property cash flow
Vacant Property
Yes ✔
Market rent from appraisal used for DSCR
STR / Airbnb
Accepted
Trailing 12-mo. income or AirDNA projections
Cash-Out Refi
Up to 75% LTV
Pull equity without income disclosure
LLC / Entity
Accepted
Single-member, multi-member LLC, corporation
Close Time
14–21 Days
From application to funded

A DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan is the financing tool most active rental property investors reach for first, because it removes the single biggest bottleneck in conventional lending: personal income documentation. Instead of W-2s, pay stubs, tax returns, and a debt-to-income calculation, Sab Tera Lending evaluates one number — does the property's rent cover its mortgage payment? If it does, the loan moves forward. This structure makes DSCR financing the default choice for self-employed investors, retirees living off portfolio income, LLC-owned entities, foreign nationals without U.S. credit history, and anyone whose tax returns understate their true cash position because of legitimate depreciation and expense write-offs.

Sab Tera Lending underwrites DSCR rental loans as a direct private lender — not a broker shopping your file to a warehouse line, and not a bank running your application through a committee. That means term sheets the same business day, underwriting decisions made in-house, and a closing timeline of 14–21 days once the appraisal and title work are in hand. There is no credit score floor built into the program: qualification is driven by the property's DSCR ratio, not a fixed FICO cutoff, which opens the door to investors who might otherwise be declined outright by lenders enforcing a hard 660 or 680 minimum. There are also zero upfront fees to receive a quote and zero prepayment penalties on the loan itself, so investors who refinance or sell early are never penalized for moving faster than expected.

By the Numbers

The Rental Market in Numbers

6.5%
Starting Rate
30-year fixed, qualified borrowers
80%
Max LTV
Purchase & rate/term refinance
20
Service Areas
Same-day commitment in every market
14–21
Days to Close
From complete application to funding
Investor Education

How DSCR Loans Work — Everything You Need to Know

What Is a DSCR Loan?

A DSCR loan is a non-QM (non-qualified mortgage) product built specifically for real estate investors who buy properties to rent out rather than to occupy themselves. Instead of underwriting the borrower's personal income the way a conventional mortgage does, a DSCR loan underwrites the property. The lender looks at how much rent the property generates or can generate, compares it to the full monthly housing payment, and uses that relationship — the Debt Service Coverage Ratio — to decide whether the loan qualifies and at what price. For investors juggling multiple properties, LLCs, or a self-employed income stream that doesn't translate cleanly into a W-2, this is the difference between getting declined by a bank and closing in three weeks.

Sab Tera Lending's DSCR rental loan is a direct, in-house program: 30-year fixed terms starting at 6.5%, up to 80% LTV on purchases, and no credit score floor built into the standard qualification path. Every file is underwritten by the same team that funds the loan, which means no broker markup, no warehouse-line delays, and same-day term sheets.

How Is DSCR Calculated?

The formula is simple: DSCR = Monthly Gross Rent ÷ Monthly PITIA. PITIA stands for Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance, and Association dues (HOA, if applicable) — the full carrying cost of the mortgage payment. A property renting for $2,500 a month with a $2,000 PITIA has a DSCR of 1.25, meaning the rent covers the payment with 25% to spare. A DSCR of exactly 1.0 means the property breaks even. Sab Tera Lending's standard program requires a minimum 1.0x DSCR, with the best pricing from 6.5% reserved for ratios of 1.25x or higher. For experienced investors with strong equity, a no-ratio program is available down to 0.75x, meaning the property doesn't have to fully cover its own payment to qualify.

Only taxes, insurance, and HOA dues factor into the PITIA denominator — not repairs, vacancy reserves, property management fees, or utilities. That keeps the DSCR calculation clean and consistent across every deal, but it also means investors should separately budget for those real operating costs when deciding whether a property actually cash flows for their own purposes, distinct from whether it qualifies for financing.

Vacant Properties and Market Rent

Not every deal comes with a signed lease at closing. Sab Tera Lending accepts vacant properties for DSCR qualification by using the market rent estimate from the appraisal's rental schedule (commonly referred to in the industry as a Form 1007) instead of requiring an in-place tenant. This is especially useful for two groups of investors: those purchasing a vacant property they intend to rent out immediately after closing, and BRRRR investors refinancing out of a renovation loan before the property has been re-tenanted. In both cases, the appraiser's professional opinion of achievable market rent stands in for actual collected rent in the DSCR formula.

Short-Term Rentals, Airbnb & VRBO Income

Short-term rentals are not treated as a separate loan product at Sab Tera Lending — they fall under the DSCR rental loan program with a different income calculation method. Where a documented 12-month operating history exists, that trailing income is used directly in the DSCR formula. Where a property is being converted to STR use or lacks 12 months of history, Sab Tera Lending will use AirDNA market projections for comparable properties in the same submarket. STR DSCR activity is especially strong in Florida's coastal and theme-park-adjacent markets, the Texas Gulf Coast, South Carolina's Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head corridors, and the New Jersey Shore. Because short-term rental ordinances vary block by block in some municipalities, investors should always confirm local zoning and any STR permit requirements before relying on projected income to close.

Property Types & Entity Ownership

Sab Tera Lending finances single-family rentals, 2–4 unit multifamily properties (duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes), warrantable condos, townhomes, and short-term vacation rentals under the DSCR program. Properties must be non-owner-occupied investment properties — DSCR loans are not available for primary residences or second homes. For 5-plus unit apartment buildings, investors should look at the Multifamily 5+ loan program instead, which is underwritten differently.

LLC, corporate, and other entity ownership is fully accepted, and in fact preferred by most portfolio investors for the liability protection it provides. Single-member LLCs, multi-member LLCs, and corporations can all close in entity name, with a personal guarantee from the principal(s) typically required. Foreign nationals without U.S. credit history are also eligible, using alternative documentation in place of a domestic FICO score.

Cash-Out Refinance

Cash-out refinance is not a standalone product at Sab Tera Lending — it's built into the DSCR rental loan itself. Investors can pull equity out of an existing rental property up to 75% LTV without disclosing personal income, using the same DSCR-based qualification as a purchase. Most investors redeploy that cash into their next acquisition, either as a down payment on a new purchase or as renovation capital feeding back into the BRRRR cycle. Rate-and-term refinances, which simply replace an existing loan with better terms without pulling cash, are also available and typically qualify to a higher 80% LTV.

The BRRRR Method With DSCR Financing

BRRRR — Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat — is the most common portfolio-scaling strategy among active real estate investors, and it works best when one lender can carry an investor through the entire cycle. Sab Tera Lending supports the full loop: a Fix and Flip loan (from 9.5% interest-only, close in as little as 7 days) funds the acquisition and renovation, and once the property is stabilized — either tenanted or appraised at market rent — it refinances into a DSCR rental loan (from 6.5%, 30-year fixed). No income verification is required at either stage, and cash-out proceeds from the DSCR refinance can be redeployed into the next acquisition, keeping capital recycling through the portfolio instead of sitting locked in one property.

DSCR vs. Conventional Investment Property Loans

Conventional investment property financing through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac requires full income documentation — tax returns, W-2s, and a personal debt-to-income calculation — and typically caps a single borrower at 10 financed properties nationwide. DSCR loans remove both constraints: qualification is based purely on the subject property's cash flow, and there is no aggregate property cap, which is why serious portfolio investors eventually move to DSCR financing even if they started with conventional loans on their first one or two rentals. DSCR loans also close faster in most cases — 14 to 21 days is typical versus 45 to 90 days for a conventional investment property loan working through automated underwriting and manual income review. The trade-off is pricing: DSCR rates typically run modestly higher than conventional investment property rates to compensate for the reduced documentation, though the gap has narrowed in recent years as non-QM lending has matured and become more competitive.

Who a DSCR Loan Is Actually Right For

DSCR financing tends to attract a specific set of investor profiles, and understanding which one you fall into helps set expectations for pricing and process. Self-employed investors and business owners are the largest group — anyone whose Schedule C shows legitimate deductions that shrink taxable income on paper, even while the business generates strong cash flow, will typically find DSCR underwriting far more forgiving than a conventional mortgage's DTI calculation. Retirees living off a mix of Social Security, retirement account draws, and rental income often struggle to document "qualifying income" under conventional guidelines even when their net worth and cash position are strong; DSCR loans sidestep that entirely.

Portfolio investors who already own several financed properties are another core group, since conventional financing caps out at 10 properties per individual borrower under Fannie Mae guidelines — DSCR lenders impose no such ceiling. Foreign nationals investing in U.S. real estate without a domestic credit history or Social Security number frequently find DSCR loans to be the only realistic financing path, since Sab Tera Lending underwrites these files using alternative documentation rather than requiring a FICO score. Finally, active BRRRR investors use DSCR loans as the permanent-financing half of their acquisition strategy, converting short-term renovation debt into 30-year fixed-rate cash flow the moment a property stabilizes.

DSCR loans are generally not the right tool for owner-occupants purchasing a primary residence or second home — the product is strictly for non-owner-occupied investment property. They also aren't ideal for an investor who needs financing on a property that won't generate any rental income at all, such as raw land or a property under significant renovation; those scenarios are better served by a Fix and Flip or ground-up construction loan until the asset is rent-ready.

Documents You'll Actually Need

Because DSCR underwriting skips personal income verification, the document list is dramatically shorter than a conventional mortgage application. Investors typically need: a purchase contract or current mortgage statement (for refinances), a copy of the lease if the property is tenanted, government-issued photo ID, entity formation documents if closing in an LLC or corporation, and bank statements to verify funds for closing and reserves. That's materially different from a conventional file, which also demands two years of tax returns, recent pay stubs, W-2s, and a detailed written explanation for any large or unusual bank deposits. The appraisal — ordered by Sab Tera Lending once the file moves to underwriting — supplies the market rent figure used in the DSCR calculation for vacant properties, so investors don't need to separately commission a rent survey.

Common Mistakes First-Time DSCR Investors Make

The most frequent error is confusing "no income verification" with "no underwriting at all." DSCR loans still scrutinize the property closely — the appraisal, the rent comparables, the condition of the asset, and the DSCR math itself all get reviewed carefully. An investor who assumes the process is a rubber stamp and skips due diligence on the property's actual rentability can end up with a deal that qualifies on paper but underperforms in practice. A second common mistake is ignoring operating costs that fall outside the DSCR formula — since only principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA dues factor into PITIA, an investor who forgets to separately budget for vacancy, maintenance, and property management fees can be surprised by weaker real-world cash flow than the DSCR ratio implied.

A third mistake is locking into a long prepayment penalty structure on a property the investor actually intends to sell or refinance within a year or two — a lower headline rate paired with a 5-year step-down penalty can cost more in the aggregate than a slightly higher rate with no penalty at all, particularly for BRRRR investors who plan to refinance again once rents rise. Finally, many first-time DSCR borrowers don't realize entity ownership is not only accepted but often preferred; setting up the LLC before applying, rather than mid-process, keeps the closing timeline on schedule.

Common DSCR Terminology Explained

DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio): The property's monthly gross rent divided by its monthly PITIA payment. A ratio above 1.0 means the property generates more income than it costs to carry.

PITIA: Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance, and Association dues — the full monthly carrying cost of the mortgage used in the DSCR denominator.

No-Ratio Program: A DSCR structure that allows qualification even when the ratio falls below 1.0, typically requiring additional equity or reserves to offset the shortfall.

Market Rent / Form 1007: The appraiser's professional rent estimate for a comparable property, used in place of actual collected rent when a property is vacant at closing.

LTV (Loan-to-Value): The loan amount expressed as a percentage of the property's appraised value; a higher LTV means a smaller down payment.

Seasoning: The waiting period some lenders impose between a purchase or renovation and a subsequent cash-out refinance. See the full glossary of investor terms at /glossary.

Regional Market Guides

DSCR Lending Across Every Region We Serve

Northeast: New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania

The Northeast is Sab Tera Lending's home region, anchored by the Huntington, NY headquarters. New York City's outer boroughs, Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties, and the New Jersey Shore all see heavy DSCR volume from investors buying 2-4 unit multifamily properties and converting single-family homes into long-term rentals. High property values in this region mean loan amounts tend to run larger than the national average, and strong year-round rental demand keeps DSCR ratios healthy even at premium purchase prices. Connecticut's Fairfield and New Haven counties, along with the Boston metro in Massachusetts, follow a similar pattern — dense rental demand from tenants priced out of ownership supports consistent cash flow for buy-and-hold investors. Philadelphia and the broader Pennsylvania market round out the region with more accessible entry price points for investors starting their first DSCR-financed rental.

Southeast: Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Virginia

The Southeast is where short-term rental DSCR activity concentrates most heavily. Florida alone spans several distinct STR submarkets — the Orlando theme-park corridor, Tampa Bay, Miami, and the Panhandle's beach towns — each with its own AirDNA comparable set and, in some cases, its own local STR permitting rules that investors should confirm before closing. North and South Carolina combine strong long-term rental demand in growth metros like Charlotte and Raleigh with a thriving coastal STR market around Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, and Charleston. Georgia's Atlanta metro remains one of the most active buy-and-hold rental markets in the country, driven by sustained population growth and relatively affordable acquisition costs. Alabama and Virginia round out the region with a mix of steady long-term rental demand in mid-sized metros and a growing base of out-of-state investors drawn by lower property taxes relative to the Northeast.

Gulf South & Midwest: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan

Texas is large enough to function as several markets in one — Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and the Gulf Coast each carry distinct rent dynamics, and Sab Tera Lending underwrites DSCR loans consistently across all of them. Louisiana and Mississippi offer some of the most accessible entry price points in the entire 20-market footprint, which makes DSCR loans particularly attractive to investors building a portfolio from a smaller starting capital base. Tennessee's Nashville and Memphis metros, along with Kentucky's Louisville market, have both seen strong population inflows that support rental demand. Ohio (Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland), Indiana (Indianapolis), and Michigan (Detroit, Grand Rapids) round out the Midwest footprint with some of the strongest rent-to-price ratios in the country — a dynamic that often produces DSCR ratios well above the 1.25x threshold even at conservative rates, making these markets popular with investors prioritizing cash flow over appreciation.

Setting the Record Straight

Common DSCR Loan Myths, Corrected

Myth: DSCR loans always cost significantly more than conventional financing.

DSCR rates do typically run somewhat higher than a conventional owner-occupant mortgage rate, but the gap to conventional investment property financing specifically has narrowed considerably. Because DSCR loans aren't subject to certain loan-level price adjustments that apply to conventional investor loans, a strong DSCR file — high credit, 1.25x+ ratio, 25%+ down — can sometimes land within a fraction of a point of conventional investment property pricing, while closing in a third of the time.

Myth: You need a rental history before a property can qualify.

Vacant properties are eligible using the appraisal's market rent estimate. New short-term rental conversions with no trailing income can also qualify using AirDNA market projections. A signed lease helps but is not a requirement.

Myth: DSCR loans are only for experienced investors with large portfolios.

First-time rental property buyers qualify for DSCR loans just as readily as seasoned portfolio investors, since the underwriting is based on the property, not the borrower's track record. Sab Tera Lending does not require prior landlord experience to approve a DSCR rental loan.

Myth: A low credit score automatically disqualifies you.

Sab Tera Lending does not enforce a fixed credit score floor on its DSCR program — the property's cash flow is the determining factor, not a FICO cutoff. This stands in contrast to several competing DSCR lenders that publish hard credit score minimums in the 620–660 range.

Pricing & Structure

What Actually Affects Your DSCR Rate

The Five Variables That Move Your Pricing

DSCR pricing starts at 6.5% but final rate on any individual file depends on five interacting variables. The DSCR ratio itself is the biggest lever — a property cash-flowing at 1.25x or better routinely prices better than one sitting right at the 1.0x minimum, because the lender's risk of a shortfall in a soft rental month is materially lower. Loan-to-value works the same way in reverse: an investor putting 30% or 35% down instead of the minimum will typically see meaningfully better pricing than one financing to the maximum 80% LTV, since more equity in the deal reduces the lender's exposure.

Property type matters as well — a straightforward single-family rental with a long-term lease in place tends to price better than a 2-4 unit multifamily property or a short-term rental relying on projected income rather than trailing history, simply because the income stream is more predictable. Loan size plays a role too, with very small loan amounts sometimes carrying a modest pricing adjustment to offset fixed underwriting costs. Finally, prepayment penalty structure factors directly into rate: an investor willing to accept a 3-2-1 or 5-4-3-2-1 step-down penalty schedule will generally see a lower rate than one who wants a loan with no prepayment penalty at all, since the lender is trading a higher yield-maintenance guarantee for a lower coupon.

Closing Costs & Reserve Requirements

Beyond the down payment itself, DSCR closings involve the same third-party costs found in any real estate transaction: appraisal fee, title insurance and settlement charges, recording fees, and prepaid items like the first year of hazard insurance and initial property tax escrow. Sab Tera Lending charges zero upfront fees to receive a rate quote or term sheet, which means investors aren't paying an application fee just to find out if a deal pencils. Most DSCR lenders, Sab Tera Lending included, will ask for verified reserves — typically the equivalent of several months of PITIA payments sitting in the borrower's bank account at closing — to demonstrate the investor can carry the property through a vacancy or unexpected repair without missing a payment. Reserve requirements are generally lighter for stronger DSCR ratios and heavier for files close to the 1.0x or no-ratio threshold.

DSCR Loan vs. Bridge Loan: Which One Do You Need First?

The two products solve different problems, and investors sometimes reach for the wrong one out of habit. A bridge loan (from 9.5% interest-only at Sab Tera Lending) is built for speed and flexibility on a property that isn't yet stabilized — a short escrow window, a property needing light work before it can be rented, or a timing gap between selling one asset and closing on the next. A DSCR rental loan (from 6.5%, 30-year fixed) is built for the long haul, once a property is either tenanted or appraised at achievable market rent. The two products are frequently used back to back: bridge financing gets the deal closed and the property positioned, and a DSCR refinance converts that short-term debt into permanent, lower-cost financing once the property is generating rent. Investors unsure which stage they're in should default to whichever question answers "yes" first — if the property could be rented out today at the appraised market rent, it's a DSCR deal; if it still needs work or a tenant before that's true, a bridge or Fix and Flip loan is the better starting point. Compare both programs directly at /bridge-loans.

Refinancing Timeline & Seasoning

Investors coming out of a Fix and Flip or bridge loan sometimes ask how quickly they can refinance into a DSCR loan once renovation wraps up. Sab Tera Lending does not impose an extended seasoning requirement before a cash-out DSCR refinance — the appraisal confirming completed value and market rent is the primary gate, not an arbitrary waiting period. That said, investors should budget realistic time for the appraisal itself, title work, and payoff coordination with the existing lender, which together typically add up to the same 14–21 day window as a purchase transaction. Investors planning a BRRRR refinance should order the appraisal as soon as renovation work is substantially complete rather than waiting until every last punch-list item is finished, since minor cosmetic items rarely affect the appraiser's rent or value conclusions.

Insurance, Taxes & Escrow on Rental Property

Landlord (or "dwelling fire") insurance policies differ from standard homeowner's insurance and are required on every DSCR-financed rental property; lenders typically require coverage sufficient to rebuild the structure plus loss-of-rent coverage in case the property becomes temporarily uninhabitable. Short-term rental properties often need a specific STR endorsement or a commercial policy rider, since a standard landlord policy may not cover guest liability the way a traditional lease-based tenancy does — investors should confirm this with their insurance agent before closing on an STR purchase. Property taxes on non-owner-occupied rentals frequently run higher than owner-occupied rates in states that offer a homestead exemption, which is one reason the DSCR calculation uses actual anticipated tax escrow rather than the prior owner's tax bill when that owner claimed an exemption the investor won't qualify for. Most DSCR loans, including Sab Tera Lending's program, escrow taxes and insurance monthly alongside principal and interest, simplifying budgeting for investors managing several properties at once.

Building a Rental Portfolio: A Realistic Roadmap

Most successful DSCR portfolio investors follow a recognizable pattern rather than scaling randomly. The first property is usually the hardest — an investor learns the DSCR math, the appraisal process, and their own tolerance for landlord responsibilities on a single asset before committing more capital. Once that property is stabilized and performing, cash-out refinancing (up to 75% LTV) becomes the primary tool for funding the down payment on property two, effectively recycling the same initial capital across multiple acquisitions rather than saving a fresh down payment from scratch each time. Because DSCR loans carry no aggregate property cap the way conventional financing does, this recycling strategy can continue property after property, with each new acquisition's DSCR ratio standing on its own rather than being weighed against the investor's total conventional debt load.

Investors who add BRRRR-financed properties to the mix — using a Fix and Flip loan to acquire and renovate distressed assets below market value, then refinancing into a DSCR loan once stabilized — tend to build equity faster than buy-and-hold-only investors, since forced appreciation from renovation adds to the refinance value alongside natural market appreciation. The tradeoff is complexity: running both a renovation pipeline and a rental portfolio simultaneously requires more active management than simply buying turnkey rentals. Sab Tera Lending's ability to originate both the short-term renovation financing and the long-term DSCR refinance under one roof is designed specifically to reduce the friction of that two-stage strategy, since the same underwriting team already has the appraisal, title, and entity documentation on file when the refinance request comes in.

Sab Tera Lending's Underwriting Philosophy

As a direct private lender rather than a broker or correspondent bank, Sab Tera Lending funds its own DSCR loans and makes underwriting decisions in-house, without routing a file through a third-party warehouse line for final sign-off. That structure is what makes a same-day term sheet and a 14–21 day close realistic rather than aspirational — there's no broker markup layered onto the rate, and no multi-week wait for a correspondent investor to review the file a second time before closing. The underwriting standard is consistent across all 20 service areas: the same DSCR math, the same documentation list, and the same absence of a fixed credit score floor apply whether the property is in Huntington, NY or Columbus, OH. Investors working with Sab Tera Lending across multiple states or multiple properties deal with one underwriting team and one set of program rules, rather than relearning a new lender's overlays every time they cross a state line.

DSCR Loans on 2-4 Unit Multifamily Properties

Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes occupy a favorable position in DSCR underwriting because they typically generate multiple rent rolls from a single mortgage payment, often producing stronger DSCR ratios than an equivalently priced single-family rental. When a 2-4 unit property has some units occupied and others vacant, Sab Tera Lending blends actual in-place rent from leased units with the appraisal's market rent estimate for vacant units to arrive at the total gross rent figure used in the DSCR calculation. This makes multifamily acquisitions attractive to investors who want to accelerate cash flow relative to a single-family portfolio, since one appraisal, one closing, and one loan cover multiple rentable units at once. Financing on 2-4 unit properties follows the same 30-year fixed structure, rate range from 6.5%, and up-to-80%-LTV terms as single-family DSCR loans; properties with 5 or more units move to the separate Multifamily 5+ loan program, which is underwritten using commercial rather than residential appraisal standards. Investors evaluating a multifamily purchase should request unit-by-unit rent detail early in the process so the DSCR calculation can be modeled accurately before submitting an offer.

What Happens After You Apply: A Day-by-Day Look

Day one typically starts with the investor submitting basic property details — address, estimated rent, purchase price or current value — through the online application or a direct call to (516) 336-9293. Sab Tera Lending reviews the submission the same business day and returns an indicative term sheet with rate, LTV, and estimated DSCR, all before any appraisal has been ordered or any fee has changed hands. If the investor accepts the term sheet, the file moves into formal underwriting, where the appraisal is ordered — typically scheduled within a few business days and completed within one to two weeks depending on the market and property type.

While the appraisal is in process, Sab Tera Lending's underwriting team reviews the title commitment, confirms entity documentation if the property is closing in an LLC or corporation, and verifies funds for closing and any required reserves. Once the appraisal comes back confirming value and market rent, the DSCR calculation is finalized and the loan moves to a clear-to-close status. Closing itself is coordinated with the title company or attorney handling settlement, with funds wired directly at closing. Most files that move efficiently through this sequence — responsive documentation, a straightforward appraisal, and no title curative issues — land within the standard 14–21 day window from application to funded loan.

Foreign National & Non-U.S. Credit Borrowers

Investors without a U.S. Social Security number or domestic credit history are eligible for Sab Tera Lending's DSCR program using alternative documentation in place of a FICO score — typically a passport, visa or ITIN documentation where applicable, and bank statements demonstrating funds for closing and reserves. Because the underlying DSCR qualification is based on the property's rent rather than the borrower's personal financial history, foreign national files follow largely the same path as domestic ones once the alternative identity and funds documentation is in place. This makes the program a common financing path for international investors building a U.S. rental portfolio who would otherwise be unable to qualify for conventional financing that requires a domestic credit score and tax filing history.

DSCR Loan vs. HELOC: Which Funds Your Next Purchase Better?

Investors sitting on equity in an existing rental sometimes weigh a DSCR cash-out refinance against a home equity line of credit (HELOC) for funding their next acquisition. A HELOC is a second-lien, variable-rate credit line — fast to set up and flexible to draw against, but it stacks on top of the existing first mortgage rather than replacing it, and the variable rate exposes the investor to payment increases if rates rise. A DSCR cash-out refinance replaces the existing mortgage entirely with a new 30-year fixed loan, up to 75% LTV, converting accumulated equity into a lump sum at a locked rate rather than a revolving balance. For investors planning to hold the cashed-out property long-term, the fixed-rate DSCR structure typically offers more predictable long-term carrying costs; for investors who only need short-term access to a smaller amount of capital and want to avoid disturbing a low rate on their existing first mortgage, a HELOC (where available) can be the more surgical tool. Sab Tera Lending's DSCR program does not currently include a standalone second-lien HELOC product — cash-out access is structured through the first-lien refinance described above.

The Process

How to Get a DSCR Rental Loan

1

Submit Property Details

Provide the property address, estimated monthly rent, and purchase price or current value. No income documents required. We respond with a term sheet the same business day.

2

Receive Same-Day Term Sheet

Sab Tera Lending delivers indicative rate, LTV, and DSCR ratio calculation the same business day — no upfront fees to receive your quote.

3

DSCR Calculation & Underwriting

We calculate DSCR (Monthly Gross Rent ÷ Monthly PITIA) and underwrite entirely on property cash flow — no personal income review, no DTI.

4

Full Property Appraisal

A full appraisal confirms market value and rental comparables. Vacant properties use the appraisal's rental schedule for DSCR.

5

Close and Fund

Close in 14–21 days with no last-minute income requests. LLC borrowing accepted. Funds wired directly to closing.

Competitive Analysis

Sab Tera Lending vs. Named DSCR Lenders

Figures below reflect each lender's publicly advertised DSCR program terms as of mid-2026. Rate sheets and underwriting overlays change frequently — confirm current terms directly with any lender before budgeting a deal. This comparison is provided for informational purposes and is not financial advice.

LenderStarting RateMin. Credit ScoreMax LTVIncome DocsPrepayment Penalty
Sab Tera LendingFrom 6.5%No minimumUp to 80%None requiredNone
Lima One Capital~7.0%+660 FICOUp to 80%None (DSCR-based)Varies by structure
Kiavi~6.5%–7.25%660 FICOUp to 80%None (DSCR-based)3-2-1 / 5-4-3-2-1 options
Easy Street Capital~5.99%–7.25%640 FICOUp to 80%None (DSCR-based)Optional no-PPP at higher rate
RCN CapitalQuote-based~620 FICO (typical)Up to 80% (varies)None (DSCR-based)Varies by structure
LendingOneQuote-basedNot publicly publishedUp to 80%None (DSCR-based)0–5 year options

Sources: publicly available lender websites and third-party DSCR lender reviews, referenced mid-2026. Sab Tera Lending does not enforce a fixed credit score minimum on its DSCR program; approval is based on the property's cash flow. See a full breakdown of every product at /sab-tera-vs-competitors.

Coverage Map

DSCR Loans in 20 Service Areas

Same-day commitment and identical DSCR underwriting standards in every market below — no state-by-state rate markup.

Service AreaStarting RateMax LTVSTR/Airbnb Eligible
New York6.5%80%Yes
Long Island6.5%80%Yes
New Jersey6.5%80%Yes
Connecticut6.5%80%Yes
Florida6.5%80%Yes
Texas6.5%80%Yes
North Carolina6.5%80%Yes
South Carolina6.5%80%Yes
Georgia6.5%80%Yes
Alabama6.5%80%Yes
Virginia6.5%80%Yes
Kentucky6.5%80%Yes
Louisiana6.5%80%Yes
Mississippi6.5%80%Yes
Massachusetts6.5%80%Yes
Michigan6.5%80%Yes
Pennsylvania6.5%80%Yes
Tennessee6.5%80%Yes
Indiana6.5%80%Yes
Ohio6.5%80%Yes
Free Tool

DSCR Ratio Calculator

Estimate your DSCR ratio in seconds. Enter monthly rent and monthly PITIA.

Investor Deals

DSCR Rental Loan Case Studies

Illustrative examples based on typical Sab Tera Lending DSCR transactions. Individual results vary by property, market, and borrower profile.

Short-Term Rental · Tampa, FL

Vacant STR Purchase, No Rental History

An investor identified a 3-bedroom single-family property near Tampa's theme-park corridor with no prior short-term rental history. Because the property was vacant with no trailing income, Sab Tera Lending underwrote the deal using AirDNA market projections for comparable STR listings in the same submarket, calculating a 1.31x DSCR.

The investor had previously been declined by two conventional lenders that required either a signed long-term lease or twelve months of documented Airbnb income before they would consider STR revenue in underwriting — both requirements this newly-acquired property couldn't yet satisfy. By relying on the appraiser's market rent schedule and third-party STR market data instead of historical collections, Sab Tera Lending was able to move the file to closing while the investor simultaneously set up their listing and secured local short-term rental permitting.

Rate
6.75%
LTV
75%
Close Time
18 Days

No income documentation was required from the borrower, who owns the property through a single-member LLC. Explore STR-specific guidance at /hard-money-lender-florida.

BRRRR Refinance · Columbus, OH

Fix & Flip to DSCR Cash-Out Refinance

An investor used a Sab Tera Lending Fix and Flip loan to acquire and renovate a distressed duplex, then refinanced into a DSCR rental loan once the appraisal confirmed market rent on both units. The refinance pulled cash out at 70% LTV to fund the investor's next acquisition — no tax returns required at either stage.

The renovation took roughly ten weeks and included new mechanical systems in both units. Because both loans were originated by the same underwriting team, the DSCR refinance file could reuse the existing title work and entity documentation from the acquisition, shaving several days off the closing timeline compared to bringing in a new lender for the refinance stage. The investor redeployed the cash-out proceeds as the down payment on a third property within the same Columbus submarket.

Rate
6.5%
LTV
70%
Close Time
16 Days

One lender carried the full BRRRR cycle from renovation to permanent financing. See the Fix and Flip program at /fix-and-flip-loans.

LLC Purchase · Charlotte, NC

Self-Employed Investor, No Tax Returns

A self-employed investor with strong bank deposits but limited taxable income on paper purchased a tenant-occupied single-family rental. Sab Tera Lending qualified the deal entirely on the existing lease's rent versus PITIA, reaching a 1.28x DSCR — no personal income documentation was reviewed at any point in underwriting.

The investor had been turned away by a conventional lender that flagged their Schedule C deductions as disqualifying, despite healthy bank balances and a strong personal credit profile. Because the DSCR calculation relied solely on the signed lease already in place and the appraisal's rent comparables, the investor's business tax strategy had no bearing on the loan decision, and the file moved directly from application to closing without a single request for tax returns or profit-and-loss statements.

Rate
6.5%
LTV
80%
Close Time
15 Days

Closed in the name of the investor's LLC with a personal guarantee. See coverage details at /hard-money-lender-north-carolina.

Investor Reviews

Why Investors Choose Sab Tera First

★★★★★

No income documentation, no runaround — my Tampa STR closed in under three weeks using projected AirDNA income since I didn't have a rental history yet.

M.R.
M.R.
Short-Term Rental Investor, Florida
★★★★★

I used the fix and flip loan to renovate, then rolled straight into a DSCR refinance with the same team. One lender for the whole BRRRR cycle made everything faster.

D.K.
D.K.
Portfolio Investor, Ohio
★★★★★

As a self-employed investor, banks kept asking for tax returns that didn't reflect my real cash flow. Sab Tera qualified me on the property's rent instead — closed in 15 days.

S.A.
S.A.
LLC Investor, North Carolina
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions — DSCR Loans

Yes. Sab Tera Lending funds DSCR rental loans with zero income verification — no W-2s, no tax returns, no employment checks — across all 20 service areas, including New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Texas. Rates start at 6.5% fixed for 30 years, up to 80% LTV. See every market we cover at /service-areas.
Sab Tera Lending does not enforce a fixed credit score floor on its DSCR program — approval is based on the property's cash flow, not a FICO cutoff. By comparison, Lima One and Kiavi both require 660 FICO, and RCN Capital's standard program requires 620. Compare every lender's requirements at /sab-tera-vs-competitors.
Sab Tera Lending's DSCR rental loan starts at 6.5% fixed for 30 years, with up to 80% LTV on purchases and 75% LTV on cash-out refinances. Final pricing depends on your DSCR ratio, loan-to-value, and property type. Get a same-day personalized rate quote with zero upfront fees at /#contact.
Yes. Sab Tera Lending closes DSCR loans on vacant properties using the appraisal's market rent to calculate the DSCR ratio, so no signed lease is required. This is common for BRRRR investors refinancing immediately after renovation. Rates start at 6.5% with a 14–21 day close. Read more investor guides at /blog.
Yes. Sab Tera Lending qualifies short-term rental properties using trailing 12-month Airbnb or VRBO income, or AirDNA market projections where documented history isn't available. This is especially popular in Florida, the Texas Gulf Coast, and South Carolina coastal markets. Rates start at 6.5% fixed. See state-specific guidance at /hard-money-lender-florida.
Yes. Sab Tera Lending's DSCR program supports cash-out refinances on existing rental properties up to 75% LTV, with no income documentation required to pull equity. Most investors reinvest the proceeds into their next acquisition. Rate-and-term refinances are also available. Read more about refinance strategy at /blog.
Yes. Sab Tera Lending accepts DSCR loan applications under an LLC, corporation, or other entity, with single-member and multi-member structures both eligible. Entity borrowing is standard practice for portfolio investors seeking liability protection. No income verification is required regardless of ownership structure. See more qualification details at /faq.
A DSCR of 1.25 or higher qualifies for Sab Tera Lending's best pricing from 6.5%, while the standard minimum is 1.0x. A no-ratio program is available down to 0.75x for well-qualified investors with strong equity. DSCR equals monthly rent divided by PITIA. See the full glossary of terms at /glossary.
A DSCR loan skips W-2s, tax returns, and DTI ratios entirely, qualifying you on the property's rent instead; conventional investment loans require full income documentation and typically cap at 10 financed properties. DSCR loans also close in 14–21 days versus 45–90 days for conventional financing. Compare all six loan programs at /loan-products.
BRRRR investors typically use a Fix and Flip loan (from 9.5% IO) to acquire and renovate, then refinance into a DSCR rental loan (from 6.5%, 30-year fixed) once the property is tenanted or appraised at market rent — with no income verification at either stage. Learn about Fix and Flip financing at /fix-and-flip-loans.
Sab Tera Lending funds DSCR rental loans across 20 markets: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, and Long Island. Same-day commitment applies in every market. See full coverage at /service-areas.
Sab Tera Lending delivers a same-day term sheet and typically closes DSCR rental loans in 14–21 days once the appraisal and title work are complete. There are zero upfront fees to receive a quote and zero prepayment penalties on the loan itself. Start your same-day quote at /#contact.
Sab Tera Lending's DSCR rates start at 6.5%, competitive with Lima One's roughly 7.0% and Kiavi's 6.5%–7.25%, with no fixed credit score floor versus Lima One and Kiavi's 660 FICO requirement and RCN Capital's 620. See the full side-by-side breakdown at /sab-tera-vs-competitors.
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Apply for a DSCR Rental Loan Today

No income verification  ·  No credit score minimum  ·  30-year fixed from 6.5%  ·  Up to 80% LTV  ·  Vacant OK  ·  Same-day commitment  ·  $0 upfront