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in Hawthorne, CA
Hawthorne sits in the South Bay with rental demand from aerospace workers and LAX employees. If you're financing a property here, you need to know whether traditional qualifying or rental income math makes more sense.
Conventional loans work well for owner-occupants or investors with W-2 income. DSCR loans ignore your tax returns and qualify you on rent alone.
Conventional loans from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer the lowest rates for borrowers with solid credit and documented income. You'll need proof of employment, tax returns, and a debt-to-income ratio under 50%.
For Hawthorne investment properties, conventional allows up to 10 financed properties. Down payments start at 15% for investment properties, and you can't use future rent to qualify on vacant units.
DSCR loans qualify you based on the property's rental income, not your paycheck. Lenders calculate the Debt Service Coverage Ratio by dividing monthly rent by the mortgage payment. Most require a DSCR of 1.0 or higher.
These loans work for self-employed borrowers, real estate investors with multiple properties, or anyone who doesn't want to document personal income. No tax returns, no pay stubs, no employment verification.
The rate difference runs about 1% to 1.5% higher for DSCR. On a $600,000 Hawthorne duplex, that's roughly $350 more per month. The tradeoff is speed and simplicity when your tax returns show write-offs.
Conventional caps you at 45%-50% DTI including the new mortgage. DSCR ignores your other debts entirely. If you're already carrying mortgages on four properties, DSCR keeps you moving while conventional hits a wall.
Use conventional if you're a W-2 earner with clean tax returns and room in your DTI. The rate savings over 30 years are substantial, and you'll build equity faster with lower payments.
Switch to DSCR when your tax returns don't reflect actual cash flow, you're self-employed with lots of write-offs, or you're buying your fifth rental. The higher rate is the cost of not documenting income.
Yes. DSCR lenders use an appraiser's market rent opinion for vacant units. Conventional loans don't allow this for investment property qualification.
Conventional typically needs 620 minimum, 680+ for best rates. DSCR lenders usually start at 680, with better pricing at 720+.
Monthly rent divided by monthly PITIA payment. A $3,000 rent with $2,700 payment gives you 1.11 DSCR, which qualifies at most lenders.
Yes, through a refinance when your income documentation improves. You'll pay closing costs again but capture the rate savings.
Conventional allows cash-out up to 75% LTV on investment properties. DSCR typically allows 80% LTV, sometimes higher with strong credit.