How to Read Your DSCR
DSCR is simply gross rental income divided by total monthly debt service (PITIA). A result above 1.00 means the property covers its own payment. At 1.25 the rent exceeds the payment by 25%, which is comfortable coverage. Below 1.00 the property runs a monthly shortfall you would need to cover from other income.
Worth saying plainly: Tidal Loans has no minimum DSCR and no minimum credit score. A weaker ratio affects pricing and leverage rather than acting as a hard cutoff, so a deal that gets declined elsewhere on a ratio alone is still worth sending to us.
What the Calculator Does Not Capture
The calculator gives you a clean underwriting estimate, not a quote. It does not know your experience as an investor, the condition of the property, whether the unit is leased or vacant, or how the rest of your portfolio looks. Those factors move real terms. Once you have a number you like, get a loan quote and we will size it properly.
Related Tools and Programs
Modelling a flip or a BRRRR instead? Use the deal calculator. Building from the ground up? The new construction deal analyzer handles build-to-sell and build-to-rent. For the loan programs themselves, see DSCR loans, rental loans and Airbnb and short-term rental loans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DSCR and how is it calculated?
DSCR stands for debt service coverage ratio. It is your property’s gross rental income divided by its total monthly debt service — principal, interest, taxes, insurance and any HOA dues (PITIA). A property renting for $2,600 a month against a $2,000 PITIA payment has a DSCR of 1.30.
What DSCR do I need to qualify with Tidal Loans?
We have no minimum DSCR. A stronger ratio generally means better pricing and higher leverage, but a lower ratio is not an automatic decline — it is priced into the deal rather than used as a cutoff.
Is there a minimum credit score?
No. We have no minimum credit score. We do pull credit, and your score influences rate and leverage, but it does not disqualify you on its own.
How much can I borrow on a DSCR loan?
Up to 85% LTV on a purchase, with cash-out refinances typically going up to 80%. Final leverage depends on the property, the income and the strength of the overall file.
Do you use actual rent or market rent?
Either, depending on the deal. For a leased property we generally use the in-place rent. For a vacant unit or a short-term rental we can use documented market rent or projected income.
Does a DSCR loan require tax returns or income verification?
No. A DSCR loan qualifies on the property’s income rather than your personal income, so there are no tax returns, W-2s or debt-to-income calculations involved.
Ready to run your deal by an actual underwriter?
No minimum DSCR. No minimum credit score. Direct lender since 2016.