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When lenders determine the income allowed from an income-producing property for calculating the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, they typically consider the property's net rental income. Here's a general overview of how it works:
- Gross Rental Income: Lenders will start by looking at the gross rental income, which is the total income generated by the property before any expenses are deducted.
- Operating Expenses: From the gross rental income, lenders will subtract the property's operating expenses. These can include property taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, property management fees, utilities, and any other costs associated with running and maintaining the property.
- Debt Service: The remaining amount after subtracting operating expenses is known as the Net Operating Income (NOI). Lenders will then factor in the potential or actual mortgage payment on the property (principal and interest) to calculate the debt service coverage ratio (DSCR).
The formula for calculating Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) is:
DSCR = Net Operating Income (NOI) / Total Debt Service
Total Debt Service includes the mortgage payment and any other related debt obligations.
Lenders typically have specific DSCR requirements that a property must meet in order to qualify for financing. A common minimum DSCR requirement is around 1.2, meaning the property's NOI should be at least 1.2 times the total debt service.
Regarding your concern about the refinance part of the BRRRR strategy, having a high debt-to-income ratio (DTI) can indeed impact your ability to qualify for a new loan. Lenders consider both your existing debt payments and the potential new mortgage payment when calculating your DTI.
If you're worried about your DTI being too high, you might want to explore a few options:
- Increase Rental Income: Look for ways to increase the rental income from your properties. This could involve improving the properties, raising rents, or finding higher-quality tenants.
- Pay Down Debt: If possible, paying down some of your existing debts could help lower your DTI.
- Consider Other Financing Options: You might want to explore alternative lenders who have more lenient DTI requirements, or you could consider partnering with someone else to share the financial responsibility.
Remember that lender requirements and guidelines can vary, so it's important to have a conversation with potential lenders to understand their specific criteria and explore your options. If you would like further help exploring your options please send me a PM of details surrounding the property your are looking into. I would be happy to help!