Acquisition · Pre-buy
Down payment calculator.
One price, four loan types side by side — DSCR, conventional, second-home, FHA. See the cash you need and the monthly carry for each.
| Loan type | Min down | Down payment | Loan amount | Est. P&I | Est. rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional (Fannie/Freddie investor) | 20% | $100,000 | $400,000 | $2,729 | 7.25% |
| DSCR (no-income-doc investor loan) | 20% | $100,000 | $400,000 | $3,005 | 8.25% |
| Second-home loan | 10% | $50,000 | $450,000 | $2,994 | 7.00% |
| FHA (owner-occupied house-hack) | 3.5% | $17,500 | $482,500 | $3,129 | 6.75% |
How it works
Each row applies the loan product's minimum down-payment percent to your purchase price. Loan amount is the residual; monthly P&I assumes a 30-year fixed at the rate-estimate baseline for each product.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the purchase price you're modeling.
- Read the cash-needed column for each loan type.
- Compare the monthly P&I — that's the floor your STR has to cover.
- Cross-reference with the DSCR calculator to see which products your deal qualifies for.
FAQ
Why is the DSCR down payment 20% but FHA only 3.5%?
FHA is owner-occupied — you must live in one unit of a 2–4 unit property. DSCR is investor-only with no occupancy requirement, so lenders price more conservatively (20% min).
Can I use a second-home loan if I plan to STR the property?
Only if you occupy 14+ days/yr and rent it less than 180 days. Aggressive STR usage on a second-home loan is mortgage fraud — the lender will reclassify and call the loan.
Why does the rate estimate vary by loan type?
Investor (DSCR, conventional) loans price 75–150 bps above primary residence. FHA gets the lowest rate but adds MIP. Second-home is in between.
Are closing costs included in this calculator?
No — closing costs run 2–4% of price. The Year 1 Cash Needs calculator rolls them in alongside the down payment.
Read the deep-dives
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How much down payment for an Airbnb? The real numbers by loan type
20%, 25%, or 30% down. PMI, rate spread, and reserves by loan type — what each option actually costs over five years.
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DSCR loans qualify on the property's projected cash flow, not your W-2. Here's when that math beats a conventional mortgage — and when it doesn't.
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