Home / DSCR / Five to eight units. Still rent over the payment.
Updated September 2026
DSCR guide
Five to eight units. Still rent over the payment.
Five to eight units can stay on a DSCR screen instead of a full commercial package. The test is still rent against the payment, but the file is pickier. Vacant units are often counted around 90% of market, and a refinance usually cannot be mostly empty. The appraisal, the certificate of occupancy, and the tax record need to agree on the unit count. If the building is really nine units, this is the wrong page.
Sending a file is not an approval and not a credit pull. We text the same business day. We do not call. If we can structure it, we name the door. If we cannot, we say so.
The screen
| 5–8 screen | What we check |
|---|---|
| Unit count | Legal units, not bedrooms |
| Vacant units | Often about 90% of market, with a vacancy cap |
| Expenses | Taxes, insurance, and any common charges |
| Loan size | Has to fit the program cap, not a wish |
What we fund
- Small multifamily with real leases
- A refinance off a bridge once rents are in place
- Buyers who do not want a commercial income package
What we still need. Short list.
- Credit is still reviewed. A lower score changes leverage, it does not skip the file.
- Reserves and down payment, sourced, when that screen asks for them.
- Appraisal plus a lease, market rent, or a short-term rent schedule.
- Entity documents if you close in an LLC.
Questions
Do you want commercial tax returns?
Not if the program is DSCR. We still want rent rolls, leases, and the unit count.
What if half the building is vacant?
Say so. A heavy vacancy can miss the refinance screen even if one unit looks great.
Is 8 units the max?
On this screen, yes. Larger buildings are not this product.
Related
These are the guidelines we screen. They are not a promise that your file hits the maximum. Credit-event seasoning, occupancy, and property condition still have to be confirmed. Not a commitment to lend. We text. We do not call.