The lenders that finance short-term rentals qualify the loan on the property's income, not your paycheck. These five write DSCR and vacation-rental loans that treat Airbnb revenue as the norm.
A DSCR loan — debt-service coverage ratio — is underwritten on whether the rental income covers the mortgage, which is why STR investors lean on it. The five below run from pure short-term-rental specialists to large national lenders that also do bridge and conventional loans. Rates and terms move constantly, so treat any number here as a starting point and get a live quote.
A DSCR lender built almost entirely around short-term rentals, qualifying loans on the property's Airbnb income instead of your paycheck.
Cavmir take: Roughly 95% of their book is short-term rentals — a real specialist, but not a full-service bank, so no owner-occupied or conventional products.
Visit Host Financial →One of the largest independent DSCR lenders in the country, with a dedicated vacation-rental program that qualifies on property cash flow.
Cavmir take: They do not lend everywhere (41 states), and the property has to be rent-ready — no fixer-uppers through the DSCR product.
Visit Visio Lending →A large, tech-driven private lender offering DSCR rental loans that qualify on property income across all 50 states.
Cavmir take: A general investor lender, not an STR specialist — it does not underwrite Airbnb projections the way dedicated STR lenders do, so it fits long-term rentals better. (Figure agreed to acquire Kiavi in 2026, so ownership is in transition.)
Visit Kiavi →A private lender whose EasyRent program was built around Airbnb and vacation-rental income, including properties with no operating history.
Cavmir take: They also run hard-money and bridge lending, so pin down the specific DSCR terms — and confirm current rates directly, since advertised figures move with the market.
Visit Easy Street Capital →A direct lender offering DSCR loans for Airbnb and short-term rentals in all 50 states, qualifying on projected or actual rental income.
Cavmir take: Roughly 60% of their volume is California, so their sweet spot skews West Coast — get a quote for your specific state before assuming they are the best fit.
Visit Griffin Funding →Cavmir is a marketing agency, not a mortgage broker or lender, and nothing here is financial advice. Loan terms, rates, and availability change constantly and vary by state and borrower — confirm everything directly with the lender before you rely on it.
Five lenders can quote the same property and land in five different places — not because one is dishonest, but because they count the income differently, price the prepayment differently, and bury different things in the fees. The questions below surface those differences before you have paid for an appraisal.
Start with the question that moves everything: how do you underwrite short-term-rental income — a projection tool, the property's trailing twelve months, or long-term market rent? The answer can swing your qualifying income enormously. Then: what minimum DSCR do you need and how is the payment side computed? What does the prepayment penalty look like, and does it step down by year? Are the quoted rate's points and fees included, and what are the lock terms? Can I borrow in an LLC without a personal-guarantee surprise? And does the property need ownership or operating seasoning before the income counts?
A teaser rate quoted with no mention of points or prepayment terms. A lender that markets STR loans but quietly underwrites on long-term rent — your qualifying income shrinks at exactly the wrong moment. No familiarity with your market's permit environment, which a specialist lender should at least ask about. And pressure to waive contingencies to move fast: speed is a real DSCR advantage, but it should come from process, not from you absorbing the risk.
DSCR lending earns its premium when your tax returns understate your capacity — self-employed buyers, investors past the conventional loan limits, or anyone buying in an LLC. If you qualify conventionally for a second home, run both quotes; the conventional rate is usually lower, and the honest comparison is after points, prepay terms, and the value of closing in an entity. The five firms here run from STR pure-specialists to national lenders with bridge products, so match the shop to the deal, not the ad.
Debt-service coverage ratio: the property's income divided by its debt payment. A DSCR of 1.0 means the rental exactly covers the mortgage; above 1.0 it carries itself with room to spare. Because the ratio is about the property, these loans qualify on the asset's earning power rather than your personal W-2 — which is why STR investors lean on them.
It varies, and it is the single most important question to ask. Some lenders use short-term-rental projections, some want the property's trailing twelve months of actual revenue, and some will only credit long-term market rent. The five lenders in this directory treat STR revenue as normal business — but ask each one how they count it, because that choice sets your maximum loan.
Commonly in the 20 to 25% range for DSCR loans, moving with credit, property type, and the deal's ratio — a stronger DSCR can buy flexibility elsewhere. Confirm the real number with the lender alongside points, prepayment terms, and reserves, and ask your CPA how the structure fits your wider picture before you sign.
Cavmir is a marketing agency, not a lender or broker. Terms shift constantly — treat everything here as orientation and let your lender's live quote govern.
Financing is one piece — occupancy, pricing, and how the property will actually market itself are the rest. If you are underwriting a purchase, we can pressure-test the revenue side of the model.
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