DSCR · No-Ratio

No-Ratio DSCR loans

Not every good deal cash-flows on day one. When rent doesn't cover PITIA — a vacant unit, an appreciation-market purchase, or a short-term rental with no operating history — a No-Ratio structure trades the coverage test for more equity.
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Quick answer

No-Ratio DSCR Loans: what do real estate investors need to know?

No-Ratio DSCR loans skip the coverage test for vacant, negative-cash-flow, or no-history rentals. 680+ FICO, 70–75% LTV, larger reserves, no tax returns. Final eligibility, pricing, and terms are subject to a complete application, credit and property review, and full underwriting.

Key takeaways
  • A No-Ratio DSCR loan qualifies the property without requiring rent to fully cover PITIA — no DSCR minimum is applied.
  • The trade-off is leverage and pricing: expect lower maximum LTV (roughly 70–75%) and a higher rate than standard DSCR.
  • It fits appreciation plays, low-yield metros, vacant or between-tenant properties, and heavy value-add deals.
  • Credit, reserves, and property quality carry more weight when the ratio is not there to support the file.
  • All parameters are illustrative program guidelines, not an approval, quote, or commitment to lend.
Max LTV
70–75%
Min FICO
680
DSCR test
Waived / 0.75 floor
Reserves
6+ months typical

The trade is straightforward: the lender gives up the coverage test and you give up leverage. Where a standard DSCR loan might reach 80% LTV, No-Ratio generally tops out at 70–75% with more months of reserves verified at closing.

Fit check

When No-Ratio is the right structure

Vacant at closing

No lease and a market rent that lands under PITIA — common in mid-turnover acquisitions.

Appreciation markets

High-price metros where yields are thin but the long-term thesis is equity growth.

New short-term rentals

No T-12 revenue history yet and projections alone won't carry the ratio.

Heavy-payment scenarios

High tax and insurance markets where PITIA outruns achievable rent.

Free with your application

Get your DSCR Scenario Summary

Complete the short pre-qualification form and we send back a full DSCR analysis: HUD Fair Market Rent, AVM value, calculated DSCR, PITIA breakdown, and the max qualifying loan amount up to 80% LTV.

  • HUD FMR rent estimate for the subject property
  • AVM property value + max qualifying loan
  • Calculated DSCR with PITIA breakdown
  • Cash-on-cash and year-one cash flow
Get Your Personalized Rate QuoteTakes ~3 minutes • PDF delivered on the thank-you page and emailed

Illustration only, generated from the information you enter. Not a loan estimate, pre-qualification, commitment to lend, or approval. Formal pricing, LTV, and terms are issued only after credit review, income/asset documentation, and full underwriting.

Live pricing · No-ratio

Current No-Ratio DSCR Rates

No-ratio structures qualify without a coverage-ratio test, and they are separate programs from standard DSCR with their own eligibility and pricing. The live quotes below are standard DSCR pricing at a qualifying ratio, shown so you can see the structure of a real quote — they are not no-ratio pricing and a no-ratio scenario may price differently.

Because a no-ratio file cannot be priced from the public scenario inputs alone, the accurate way to see your number is a scenario submission where credit, leverage and reserves are known. We do not publish an estimated no-ratio rate, because we would be inventing it.

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The three cards above are featured examples from the current snapshot. Enter your own property, credit tier, leverage and rent to see every eligible option for your deal.

Rate & Pricing Disclosure: This quote is an indication for the scenario entered and the pricing available at the time shown. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice and may change or may not be available at commitment or closing. This is not a rate lock, loan approval, commitment to lend or offer of credit. APR reflects applicable borrower-paid finance charges and pricing credits for this quote and may be the APR returned with the quote or our own audited calculation where verified borrower-paid finance charges outside the quoted price apply. Additional lender and third-party costs may apply and may not be included in the APR. Payment shown is principal and interest only and excludes taxes, insurance, HOA dues and other applicable costs, so your actual payment will be higher. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker, not the funding lender. Business-purpose, non-owner-occupied investment property only. Equal Housing Opportunity.

APR reflects applicable borrower-paid finance charges and pricing credits for this quote. Depending on the option, the APR shown is either the APR returned with that quote or our own audited calculation, used where verified borrower-paid finance charges outside the quoted price apply. Other lender and third-party costs may apply and may not be included in the APR.

Estimated payment is principal and interest only and does not include property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, flood insurance, escrows or other applicable costs.

Rate questions for this page

How much more does a no-ratio DSCR loan cost?

The premium varies by lender, leverage and credit tier, so we do not publish a fixed spread. A loan officer can return the actual difference for your file in writing.

Why can't the rate center price a no-ratio scenario?

The public rate center prices scenarios that carry a qualifying coverage ratio. No-ratio programs are quoted per file against reserves, credit and property profile.

Side by side

Standard DSCR vs. No-Ratio

FactorStandard DSCRNo-Ratio DSCR
Coverage test1.00+ for full leverageWaived or 0.75 nominal floor
Max LTVUp to 80%70–75%
Min FICO660680
Reserves1–6 months PITIA6+ months typical
Relative pricingBaselinePremium
Pros & cons

No-Ratio: benefits and trade-offs

Pros
  • Deals that fail the ratio test can still close
  • No lease or rent history required
  • Still no tax returns, W-2s, or DTI calculation
  • Clean refinance path into standard DSCR once leased
Trade-offs
  • Lower maximum leverage — more cash at closing
  • Rate premium over a standard DSCR loan
  • Higher credit floor and heavier reserve requirement
  • Negative carry has to be funded from outside the property

Deal doesn't cash-flow yet?

Send the numbers anyway. We'll show you the No-Ratio structure alongside the standard DSCR option so you can compare cash to close.

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Choose your structure

DSCR loan programs

Every DSCR variant we arrange, with the leverage and credit floor that applies to each.

FAQ

No-Ratio DSCR questions

What is a No-Ratio DSCR loan?

A rental-property loan that skips the debt-service coverage test. Instead of proving rent covers PITIA, you offset the risk with a larger down payment, a stronger credit profile, and more reserves.

Who is it for?

Investors buying in appreciation markets where rents do not cover payments, properties that are vacant or mid-turnover, short-term rentals with no operating history, and second-home-style assets being converted to rentals.

What are the requirements?

Generally 680+ FICO, 25–30% down (70–75% maximum LTV), and elevated reserves. Some programs still show a nominal 0.75 floor rather than removing the ratio entirely.

How much more does it cost?

Expect a rate premium relative to a standard DSCR loan at the same leverage, because the property is not demonstrating coverage. The exact add-on depends on FICO, LTV, and property type.

Can I refinance out of it later?

Yes. Once the property is leased and the ratio clears 1.00, a rate-and-term refinance into a standard DSCR loan is the common exit.

Can I use a No-Ratio DSCR loan for a first purchase in a new market?

Yes, it's a common use case when you're buying in an appreciation-focused market where rents don't yet support the payment. The larger down payment and stronger credit profile offset the missing coverage test.

Does a No-Ratio loan still require an appraisal with rent estimate?

Yes, an appraisal is still ordered and typically includes a rent schedule for file documentation and future refinance planning, even though the ratio itself is not used to qualify the loan.

Is a No-Ratio DSCR loan the same as a stated-income loan?

No. Stated income references personal income representations, while No-Ratio skips the property coverage test entirely and relies on credit, down payment, and reserves — no personal income figure is used in either case.

Can I get a No-Ratio loan on a 2–4 unit property?

Yes on most programs, subject to the same reduced leverage and elevated reserve requirements that apply to single-family No-Ratio loans, plus any additional adjustment typical of multi-unit properties.

What reserves are required on a No-Ratio DSCR loan?

Reserve requirements run higher than a standard DSCR loan given the absence of a qualifying coverage ratio — commonly 6 months or more of PITIA in a verified account, scaled by loan size and leverage.

Can a No-Ratio loan be used for a vacant fix-and-hold property?

Yes, it's a frequent fit for a property that is vacant, mid-renovation, or between tenants, since there is no lease or stabilized rent yet to test against a coverage ratio.

Is a No-Ratio DSCR loan available on a cash-out refinance?

Yes on select programs, though cash-out leverage under a No-Ratio structure is generally lower than a No-Ratio purchase, given the added risk of pulling equity from a property that isn't demonstrating rent coverage.

Business-purpose loans only. Guidelines shown are illustrative and vary by lender, property, and state. Not a quote, offer, or commitment to lend. Subject to underwriting and approval.

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Simply Approved Mortgages Expert Insight
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What Can Change the Outcome

No-ratio and sub-1.00 structures exist for properties where day-one rent will not cover PITIA: high-value markets, vacant units, and heavy value-add. You trade leverage and rate for skipping the coverage test, so expect a lower LTV cap and larger reserve requirement.

Treat it as a bridge to stabilization. Have the rent increase, the renovation, or the refinance into standard coverage planned before you close, not after.

Because availability and pricing vary by program, ask what the specific reserve and leverage requirements are for your scenario rather than assuming the published DSCR terms apply.

Reviewed by Simply Approved Mortgages · NMLS #2620881. Business-purpose investor lending only.

Get a No-Ratio scenario side by side

Same-business-day scenario review on complete submissions.

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Investor pre-approval

Get your personalized investor loan quote

Pick the loan type that fits your deal and complete a short, tailored pre-qualification. A licensed loan officer follows up with an initial scenario review once we have your credit authorization and supporting documents — usually the same business day. Formal pricing and terms follow underwriting.

Pick a loan type

You can change this any time.

Tell us about your scenario

The form below is tailored to DSCR rental loan — only the questions your program needs.

1
Your info
2
Your deal
Your deal — the basics

Purchase or refinance a rental. The property's rent qualifies the loan.

What's your goal?
Purchase price ($)$450,000
$
Down payment (%)20%
%
Monthly rent ($)$2,800
$
HUD Fair Market Rent for your ZIP — ballpark only. Get a precise market rent after you submit.
Estimated credit rating

A soft self-estimate — no credit pull happens here.

This is a pre-qualification request — not a loan application under TILA/RESPA and not a loan approval, rate lock, offer, or commitment to lend. It does not trigger a Loan Estimate. If your loan requires one, the Loan Estimate is issued inside our loan origination system after you submit a complete application and your loan officer has reviewed your scenario.

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Your answers save as you go. A licensed loan officer typically follows up the same business day · Simply Approved Mortgages LLC, NMLS #2620881.

Credit & pre-approval

Why we pull credit for your investor loan pre-approval

Every DSCR / business-purpose loan file needs a tri-merge credit report so we can verify identity, price your rate tier accurately, and confirm reserves and payment history for the underwriter. Cleaner credit typically unlocks a better rate and higher leverage.

Pay for your credit report — SmartPay

Simply Approved Mortgages uses MeridianLink SmartPay to securely collect the credit report fee for your investor pre-approval. Payment goes directly to the credit vendor — not to us — and unlocks your tri-merge report (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) so your loan officer can price your file.

  • Secure, PCI-compliant checkout hosted by MeridianLink
  • Required for a formal investor pre-approval decision
  • Soft-touch process — your loan officer will guide you through it
Pay for credit report securely

You'll be redirected to cic.cra.xedalink.net (SmartPay).

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Before you apply, it's smart to know exactly where your credit stands. MyITINCredit offers a $1 trial for 15 days that includes all three credit reports and scores (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), plus ongoing credit monitoring so you can catch errors, dispute inaccuracies, and watch for identity theft.

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  • Ongoing monitoring alerts you to new accounts or score changes
  • Fix errors early — cleaner credit can widen your investor loan options
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