Investment Property Mortgage Calculator

Calculate your investment property mortgage rate, monthly payment, and see exactly how credit score affects your rate premium. Compare conventional, DSCR, and portfolio loan options.

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Monthly Payment (Investment Rate)
$2,079
At 8.125% (1.375% premium vs primary rate)
Down Payment
$70,000
Loan Amount
$280,000
Rate Premium
+1.375%
DSCR Ratio
1.15x
DSCR 1.15x is below 1.25x minimum for most DSCR loans. For conventional qualification, rental income counts at 75% ($1,800/mo) to offset DTI.

Compare the 4 main loan programs for investment properties. Each has different qualification methods, rates, and requirements.

Conventional
$2,079/mo
Rate: 8.13%
Min down: 20%
Standard DTI + reserves
15-25% down, credit-based qualification
DSCR Loan
$2,178/mo
Rate: 8.63%
Min down: 20%
Rent covers 1.0-1.25x mortgage
20-25% down, property income qualifies
Portfolio Loan
$2,278/mo
Rate: 9.13%
Min down: 20%
Flexible — lender decides
20%+ down, flexible terms, held by lender
Commercial (5-10yr)
$2,326/mo
Rate: 8.88%
Min down: 25%
Business cash flow, NOI-based
25%+ down, balloon payment, business income
properties
Current Properties
1
Conventional loans available (Fannie/Freddie standard)
Conventional Limit
10 properties
Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac max financed properties
Properties 1-4
Standard Conventional
Normal qualifying, any conventional lender
Properties 5-10
Fannie/Freddie Only
Stricter reserves, credit, and LTV requirements
Portfolio SizeFinancing AvailableKey Requirements
1-4 propertiesConventional, FHA (primary), VA (primary)Standard DTI, 6mo reserves per investment property
5-10 propertiesFannie Mae/Freddie Mac only25% down, 720+ credit, 6mo reserves for ALL financed properties
10+ propertiesPortfolio, DSCR, commercial lenders onlyAsset-based qualifying, higher rates, relationship banking

How to Use This Investment Property Mortgage Calculator

This calculator covers investment property financing specifically — not second homes, not primary residences. It accounts for the higher down payment requirements, rate premiums, DSCR qualification, and multi-property reserve rules that make investment property loans different.

Quick Tab

Enter your Property Price, Down Payment % (minimum 15%), Credit Score, and Loan Program. Enter your primary home rate as a benchmark — the calculator adds the precise rate premium for your credit tier and LTV, and shows your estimated investment rate, payment, and DSCR ratio.

Advanced Tab

The Loan Programs tab compares conventional, DSCR, portfolio, and commercial financing side-by-side. The Rate Premium tab shows exactly how much each credit score tier costs in additional monthly payment and total interest. The Qualifying tab explains conventional DTI vs DSCR approaches and how rental income is counted.

Pro Tab

The Portfolio Scaling tab shows what happens when you cross the 4, 5, and 10 property thresholds. The Entity Structure tab compares personal name vs LLC financing. The Multi-Property Reserves tab calculates total capital you must have in liquid savings to satisfy Fannie Mae reserve requirements across your portfolio.

The Formula: DSCR Ratio

DSCR = Monthly Gross Rent / Monthly Mortgage Payment (PITIA)

DSCR >= 1.25 = Strong qualify for DSCR loan
DSCR = 1.00-1.24 = Marginal — some lenders accept
DSCR < 1.00 = Property does not support its own debt

Example:
Monthly rent: $2,500
Monthly mortgage (PITIA): $2,000
DSCR: 2,500 / 2,000 = 1.25x — PASS

For conventional qualification, rental income is counted at 75% to offset DTI: $2,500 x 0.75 = $1,875 credited against the $2,000 payment, leaving a $125/mo net DTI burden. A property generating only $1,600/mo rent would add $800/mo to your DTI under conventional rules — potentially disqualifying you.

Example: Building a 3-Property Portfolio

Marcus Builds a Rental Portfolio Over 4 Years

Primary home rate at time of purchase: 6.75%. Credit score: 745. Building from 1 to 3 investment properties.

Property 1 (20% down, 740 credit)
Purchase price$280,000
Loan amount$224,000
Rate (6.75% + 1.125% = 7.875%)7.875%
Monthly P&I$1,624
Monthly rent$2,100
DSCR1.29x — strong
Reserves required$9,744 (6 months)
Property 2 (adding at 760+ credit)
Rate premium reduced7.625% (better credit)
Total reserves (both properties)$19,500
Property 3 (now 5-10 range)
Min down now 25%$87,500 on $350K property
Total reserves (all 3)$29,244

By property 3, Marcus needs $87,500 in down payment plus $29,244 in reserves — over $116,000 total liquid capital — to qualify at Fannie Mae standards. This is why experienced investors use DSCR or portfolio lenders beyond 4 properties and focus intensely on credit score optimization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Investment property mortgages require a minimum down payment of 15% for a 1-unit conventional loan, and 20-25% for 2-4 unit properties, DSCR loans, or portfolio loans. FHA and VA loans cannot be used for investment properties — they require owner-occupancy. Most lenders prefer 20-25% down to offer competitive rates. Less than 20% down on an investment property will significantly increase your rate premium.
Investment property mortgage rates are typically 0.5% to 1.5% higher than primary residence rates. The exact premium depends on your credit score, down payment, and LTV ratio. A 760+ credit score with 25% down might see a 0.75% premium. A 700 credit score with 20% down could see a 1.25% or higher premium. On a $250,000 loan, a 1% rate difference equals about $165/month or nearly $60,000 in additional interest over 30 years.
A DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan qualifies based on the property's rental income rather than personal income. DSCR = monthly rent divided by monthly mortgage payment (including taxes, insurance, and HOA). Most DSCR lenders require a ratio of 1.0 to 1.25 — meaning rent must cover 100-125% of the total payment. DSCR loans are ideal for self-employed investors with complex tax returns, or those who already own many properties and cannot qualify conventionally.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac allow up to 10 financed properties total (including your primary residence). Properties 1-4 follow standard guidelines. Properties 5-10 require 25% down, 720+ credit score, 6 months reserves for all financed properties, and no mortgage late payments in the past 12 months. Beyond 10 properties, you must use portfolio lenders, DSCR lenders, or commercial financing. Building to 10+ properties is a significant milestone that changes your financing strategy entirely.
For investment properties, lenders typically require 6 months of PITI in liquid reserves for each financed investment property. If you own 5 investment properties each with a $1,500 monthly PITI, you need $45,000 in accessible reserves just for those properties — in addition to any reserves required for your primary residence. This reserve requirement grows with your portfolio and is a major capital planning consideration for building a rental portfolio at scale.

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