There are more threads here around BP that illustrate that those programs are not worth the money they charge.  

Setting proper expectations takes effort (sometimes a lot of effort).Let me try to illustrate this with my own experience.  

Assume the worst in your projections for a period, like a quarter, if nothing more than to illustrate that you know what the worst case might be.

Perhaps that is why you never saw the value in it.Policy illustrations show the "NET" death benefit.

See chart below illustrating this between 1970 and 2014.My point is twofold.  

This might reduce your overall interest costs and allow you to secure a more attractive rate compared to a traditional 20% down payment scenario.Platforms for State → City → Suburb → Street Analysis:For narrowing down markets, here are some platforms I recommend:Zillow and Realtor.com for broad market data, filtering by city/suburb/street.Roofstock for turnkey rental properties with in-depth neighborhood analysis.Mashvisor for detailed real estate analysis, including cash flow and rental estimates.Redfin and NeighborhoodScout for granular street-level data, crime statistics, school ratings, and property value trends.Once you narrow down to the city level, I agree that leveraging local resources—real estate agents, local investor networks, or property managers—will be key to gaining more granular insights on specific neighborhoods and streets.If you’d like, I can also provide you with a sample DSCR terms sheet to further illustrate potential terms.

An agent can run an illustration for you and tell you how much you should borrow. 

Let me illustrate:1.

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23If a purchase, you also generally need reserves / savings to show you have 3-6 month payments of PITIA (principal / interest (mortgage payment), property taxes and insurance and HOA (if applicable).

Illustration.