DSCR calculator

See your ratio, cash flow and estimated maximum loan in a few seconds.

How to use it

Fill in the rent, price, loan terms, taxes and insurance. The page divides rent by PITIA to show your ratio, then works backward to estimate the largest loan your rent could support at the minimum ratio you pick, capped by your maximum loan-to-value. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.

The readout

DSCR (rent / PITIA)0.00

Principal and interest$0

Full PITIA per month$0

Monthly cash flow after PITIA$0

Loan amount$0

Loan-to-value0%

Estimated max loan$0

Estimates only, not a loan offer or a quote. The starting interest rate and the other prefilled numbers are made-up examples that show how the math works. They are not current market rates. Real loan limits depend on the lender, your credit, the property type and the program. This is not a commitment to lend.

What each box does

Loan amount. Blank means price times one minus your down payment. Type a number to override it.
Payment. Principal and interest come from the standard amortization formula. With interest-only ticked, it is just the loan times the rate divided by twelve.
PITIA. That payment plus taxes and insurance divided by twelve, plus monthly dues.
Max loan. The page finds the highest payment that still clears your minimum ratio, strips out taxes, insurance and dues, converts what is left to a loan size, then caps it at price times your maximum LTV.

Reading the result

A result at or above 1.0 is the common benchmark and the usual target for first-time investors. Depending on the lender, programs accept less, down to about 0.75, with trade-offs. On programs that qualify on the interest-only payment, ticking the box shows the ratio on that lower payment. If your number comes up short, the guide to lifting a weak DSCR lists the levers.

Worked example. A $340,000 purchase with 25% down is a $255,000 loan. At an example 7.00% over 30 years the principal and interest are about $1,697. Add $283 a month for taxes ($3,400 a year) and $150 for insurance ($1,800 a year), and PITIA is about $2,130. Rent of $2,750 gives a DSCR near 1.29. These numbers are illustrations, not market data.

Think the deal works? Check the requirements or start an application.

Frequently asked questions

How high does the DSCR need to be?

At 1.0 or above the rent covers the payment, and that is where depending on the lender, programs are comfortable. Depending on the lender, programs approve less, to about 0.75, and separate no-ratio options skip the test. A thinner ratio often calls for more cash down, deeper reserves or a different price. See DSCR below 1.0.

Do taxes and insurance really affect approval?

Yes. They are part of the payment in the denominator, so a larger tax bill or a pricey policy shrinks the ratio even when rent holds steady. Get an insurance quote, including flood where relevant, before you make an offer.

Does an interest-only option exist?

Yes, where lender guidelines allow it. Interest-only terms of ten years are common, and depending on the lender, programs test the ratio on the lower payment, which lifts the ratio on the same rent. The loan then amortizes once the interest-only period ends. See interest-only loans.

Why is there no rate table on the site?

Pricing moves with credit score, loan-to-value, ratio, loan amount, property type, prepayment penalty and lender, and it changes often, so one number would not fit your deal. Ask for a quote on your scenario and compare total cost.