DSCR Lenders in Fort Lauderdale

Bentley Equity Loans is based in Fort Lauderdale. Broward County is the market we know best, and it is also one of the more complicated places in Florida to underwrite a rental — insurance, flood zones, and condo association health all move the numbers here.

A DSCR loan qualifies you on the property, not on you. There are no tax returns, no W-2s, and no personal debt-to-income calculation — the lender compares the rent against the full monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA) and lends on that. What changes from market to market is what goes into that payment, and in Fort Lauderdale the local factors below are the ones that move it.

What changes a coverage ratio in Fort Lauderdale

Insurance is the line that decides Broward deals

Wind exposure is real across the county and premiums vary sharply between a coastal parcel and one further inland. Because insurance sits inside PITIA, the quote frequently decides whether a Fort Lauderdale deal clears its coverage ratio. Quote the actual address before you model anything else.

Flood zones cover a large share of the county

Broward's canal network and low elevation put substantial areas in designated flood zones, and elevation certificates can change premiums materially on the same street. Check the FEMA designation for the specific parcel.

Condo association diligence is not optional

Florida strengthened structural inspection and reserve requirements in recent years, and Broward's older coastal condo stock has felt it directly. Review reserves, pending special assessments, and milestone inspection status before you are committed.

Your tax bill will exceed the seller's

Assessments reassess on sale and investment property receives no homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap. If the seller was owner-occupied, your bill may be a large multiple of theirs — model the investor figure.

Submarkets we lend in

Fort Lauderdale · Oakland Park · Wilton Manors · Pompano Beach · Plantation · Sunrise · Davie · Hollywood · Coral Springs — and the surrounding communities.

We finance single-family rentals, 2–4 unit properties, condos, and short-term rentals where local rules permit, and we close in an LLC. If the property type is unusual — a condotel, a non-warrantable condo, mixed-use, or rural acreage — tell us at the outset rather than at appraisal, because leverage differs.

Programs available here

DSCR rental loans — the core program, qualified on the property's rental income
DSCR cash-out refinance — release equity from a stabilised rental to fund the next purchase
Fix & flip and hard money — purchase plus rehab for distressed property
Bridge loans — short-term financing when speed or condition rules out a long-term loan
Other non-QM programs — bank statement, P&L, asset depletion, and foreign national financing

Before you make an offer

Three numbers decide most DSCR approvals: your credit score, your down payment, and the property's coverage ratio. The ratio is where local factors bite, because taxes and insurance sit inside it. Two checks are worth doing before you go under contract:

Quote wind and flood for the actual address — Broward premiums vary sharply within short distances.
Model the investor tax figure, not the seller's homestead bill, and check condo association reserves if applicable.

Run your own numbers with our DSCR calculator and formula guide, or read the full Florida DSCR question set for the market-specific detail behind this page.

Related resources

Send us the Fort Lauderdale scenario — the property, the rent, and what you are trying to do — and we will tell you where the ratio lands and what terms it supports before you are committed to anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a local Fort Lauderdale lender?

Our office is at 533 Northeast 3rd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. We lend nationwide, but Broward County and South Florida are the markets we work in most closely.

Why does insurance matter so much in Fort Lauderdale?

Because the premium sits inside PITIA and therefore inside your coverage ratio. Broward premiums vary sharply between coastal and inland parcels — enough to turn a strong-looking deal into a failing one.

Do I need flood insurance in Broward County?

In designated flood zones, yes — and a large share of the county sits in them. Check the FEMA designation and elevation for the specific parcel before modelling.

Will my property taxes rise after I buy?

Almost certainly. Florida reassesses on sale, and investment property receives no homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap. Model the investor figure, not the seller's bill.