DTI too high; buying another property in IL

DTI too high; buying another property in IL

Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 43 posts · 25 votes

Looking at buying another property; we have 58k a year in W-2 income but the rest is either 1099 (mine--probably about 50k this year minimum if I do nothing for the rest of the year) or else property income (currently 36k a year). Running into DTI issues b/c they are counting our 3-flat against us. We currently live in our 3-flat and would plan to do a live in flip on a single family or inexpensive duplex or buy/hold and then rent it out and move, would definitely plan to BRRRR. Here are our numbers:

PITI on current building: 2701/mo

Income from 2 units, currently rented at 1500/ea, so 3000/mo income now; would increase to 4650/mo income (our unit is nicer than the others). 

Expenses are very low on this building b/c everything's new. $60 a month for water/sewer/trash. Everything else is paid by tenants. Rental market is tight. Rentals are probably a little below market but I got my pick of 30 applications each time, which mattered to us because we are also living here.

We'd put 30k down on a new property but could probably put down up to 50k if needed; acquisition cost would vary and that's where we're having trouble figuring this out. I used to have a W-2 job so it wasn't a big deal; now it seems it is. Any advice on how to move forward? We bought our last building (the one we're in now) for 225k just using my husband's income and it wasn't a big deal; now they are concerned. Thoughts? Will I have to find a commercial bank? Our credit union seems wary. We don't have any other debt and have 780 or 800+ credit scores (haven't checked lately).

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Mark F.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Elgin, IL · Member since 2016 · 326 posts · 270 votes
7y

@Emily M. I agree with @Zack Karp and highly recommend reaching out to him, he and his team are top notch and I've personally used them several times and they never cease to amaze me.

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  • Andrew PostellPro Member
    Lender · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    7y

    @Emily M. based on how you are describing this it should be a slam dunk for approving you (your husband) for a loan.  No debt, stable W2 income, rents on properties...all of this sounds great to me.  If everything you are saying is true...then I would suggest looking for a different lender.  It sounds weird but not every lender will view investment properties the same way.  Sometimes they have extra rules that limit how they lend on investment properties.  We need to find you an investor friendly lender.  How do we know which lenders are investor friendly?  Well, maybe post in the Illinois forum here on Bigger Pockets or just try asking a few questions to find out if they are investor friendly or not.  I created a list of questions to ask...now these may not all apply to your scenario but I still want you to ask them because these are questions to see if they are investor friendly or not. 

    Questions for Lenders

    1. When do you start using rental income to help me qualify? (the answer needs to be immediately)
    2. When do you start using “After Repair Value” on my property?
    3. How long do you need me to be on title to refinance? (this is important if you do need a short term loan to purchase then refinance out - and the answer should be 1 day...very important that it is 1 day on title is all that is needed to refinance)
    4. What is my minimum down payment required? (if they only require 15% down on a single family home that is usually a good sign that you are working with a flexible lender)
    5. Can I change title to my LLC?
    6. Do you sell your mortgages?
    7. What is your loan minimum?
    8. Can you explain to me what your reserve requirements are?
  • Zack KarpPro Member
    Lender · Schaumburg, IL · Member since 2015 · 833 posts · 774 votes
    7y

    @Emily M. based on what you described, you are likely talking to the wrong lender if you are having DTI issues. Seems simple to me. Perhaps your lender has overlays (their own guidelines on top of the actual guidelines) or perhaps your loan officer/underwriter just isn't aggressive/creative enough.

  • Mark F.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Elgin, IL · Member since 2016 · 326 posts · 270 votes
    7y

    @Emily M. I agree with @Zack Karp and highly recommend reaching out to him, he and his team are top notch and I've personally used them several times and they never cease to amaze me.

  • Zack KarpPro Member
    Lender · Schaumburg, IL · Member since 2015 · 833 posts · 774 votes
    7y

    Thanks @Mark F.!  Hope all is well!

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