Home / DSCR / The down payment is not the only cash.
Updated September 2026
DSCR guide
The down payment is not the only cash.
Cash to close is the down payment, closing costs, and any reserves the screen wants left over after you wire. Standard DSCR often wants reserves. Flexible DSCR starts at three months. One no-reserve screen exists, and it is not the default. The money has to be sourced: bank statements, not a screenshot of a balance that showed up yesterday. Gift funds can work when the guideline allows them and the paper trail is clean.
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
| Cash bucket | What it is |
|---|---|
| Down payment | The equity you bring. Purchase often near 20% |
| Closing costs | Title, insurance, taxes, lender fees |
| Reserves | Months of PITIA left after closing |
| No-reserve screen | Exists. It is not every file |
What we fund
- Buyers who want the cash number before they bid
- Refinances that still need reserves
- Gift-fund files with a paper trail
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
Are reserves the same as the down payment?
No. Reserves are what you still have after the down payment and costs.
Can I use the cash-out proceeds as reserves?
Sometimes, on the screen that allows it. Do not assume it. We will say so on the file.
Do you need three months on every loan?
No. Three months is where Flexible DSCR starts. Other screens differ, including one with no reserve requirement.
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.