Finance Your Next Short-Term Rental With Confidence

Whether this is your first STR or part of a growing portfolio, we help structure funding around realistic income, regulations, and your long-term strategy.

Target STR-Friendly Markets

Focus on properties and locations where short-term rentals are allowed and sustainable, not just “good on paper.”

Leverage Underwriting

Work with lenders who consider projected or actual STR income, not just W-2s and tax returns.

Build a Rental Portfolio

Structure each purchase so you can keep adding properties instead of getting capped after your first few.

How Short-Term Rental Loans Are Structured

Short-term rental lenders often focus on the property’s income potential more than traditional employment income. They review projected or actual rental income, local demand, and your investor profile to size the loan.

  • Cash-flow driven: Many programs are based on projected or historical STR income instead of purely personal income.
  • Flexible documentation: DSCR-style underwriting and simplified documentation built for investors.
  • Occupancy & rates: Nightly rates, seasonality, and market data all factor into available leverage.
  • Property and management: Lenders care about regulations, location, and whether you self-manage or use a property manager.
Discuss Your STR Project

Popular Short-Term Rental Funding Options

  • DSCR STR Loans
    Loans underwritten primarily on the property’s ability to cover its debt service from STR income.
  • Airbnb / Vacation Rental Programs
    Lenders specifically comfortable with nightly and weekly rentals in established STR markets.
  • Conventional Investor Loans
    More traditional underwriting where personal income still plays a larger role.
  • Bridge-to-STR Financing
    Short-term capital to acquire and furnish before stabilizing income and refinancing.
  • Portfolio & Blanket Loans
    Finance multiple STRs under a single facility for easier scaling and management.
  • Cross-Collateral Options
    Use equity in existing holdings to reduce cash to close on your next property.

From First Booking to a Fully Booked Calendar

Short-term rentals perform best when the numbers and the financing line up with reality, not just optimistic projections. We help you structure the loan on the front end so you’re not surprised later.

  • Upfront expectations: Estimate loan proceeds, cash to close, and payment structure before you commit to a contract.
  • Aligned with your strategy: Whether you self-manage, use a property manager, or plan to scale, we factor that into lender selection.
  • Path to long-term scaling: Set up your first or next STR in a way that keeps room for additional acquisitions.
Start Your STR Prequalification

Compare Short-Term Rental Loan Options

DSCR Short-Term Rental Loans

Loans primarily underwritten on the property’s ability to cover its debt service from short-term rental income.

Typical Term 30 years (often fixed or fixed-period ARMs).
Best For Investors focused on building STR portfolios with simplified documentation.
Max Leverage (Approx.) Up to ~75–80% LTV, depending on DSCR, market, and property type.
Speed to Funding Roughly 3–6 weeks, depending on appraisal and underwriting queue.
  • Focuses on property cash flow instead of detailed personal income analysis.
  • Useful for investors with multiple properties or complex tax returns.
  • Common choice for Airbnb and vacation rentals in established markets.

Conventional Investment Property Loans

More traditional underwriting with a heavier focus on personal income, credit, and global debt-to-income ratios.

Typical Term 15–30 years.
Best For Borrowers with strong W-2 or easily documented income and a smaller number of properties.
Max Leverage (Approx.) Often up to ~75–80% LTV for investment properties.
Speed to Funding Typically 4–8 weeks, depending on lender and file complexity.
  • Familiar structure for borrowers used to residential mortgages.
  • Can be attractive for borrowers with strong personal income and clean credit.
  • Less flexible when scaling beyond a small number of properties.

Portfolio & Blanket STR Loans

Financing structures designed to cover multiple STR properties under one facility, often with more customized terms.

Typical Term 5–30 years, sometimes with interest-only periods.
Best For Investors with several properties seeking simpler management and capital flexibility.
Max Leverage (Approx.) Varies; often slightly lower leverage in exchange for flexibility and scale.
Speed to Funding Timing depends on complexity and number of properties, often longer than single-asset loans.
  • Helps consolidate multiple loans and maturities into a single structure.
  • Useful when building or refinancing an existing STR portfolio.
  • Typically best for experienced investors with several properties.

Why STR Investors Work With F.G. Howell

Market-Aware Guidance

We factor in regulations, seasonality, and local demand so you’re not betting on income you can’t realistically earn.

Streamlined Packaging

We know what STR lenders want to see in terms of income projections, comps, and documentation.

Broad Lender Network

Access to DSCR lenders, banks, and portfolio lenders so you’re not stuck with a one-size-fits-all option.

Questions about financing a short-term rental?
Request a call.

Short-Term Rental Loan FAQs

Many STR-focused lenders will consider actual or projected income from platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, often using DSCR-style underwriting. Traditional lenders may discount or ignore this income, which is why lender selection matters.

In some cases, yes. Investor and DSCR programs rely more heavily on property-level cash flow and your overall investor profile than on traditional W-2 income alone.

Experience helps, but some lenders will work with first-time STR investors if the deal is strong and the market fundamentals make sense. Others prefer that you have at least some landlord or rental experience.

Lenders care about whether short-term rental use is allowed and sustainable. Part of the process is confirming zoning, HOA rules, and local regulations so the loan isn’t based on income you can’t legally earn.

Yes. A common strategy is to acquire and furnish with bridge or hard money financing, then refinance into a DSCR or portfolio loan once you have a track record of bookings and income.