Bismarck's small multifamily stock is heavy on the classic North Dakota fourplex: a two-story building with four similar units, built in the 1970s and 80s, often with a shared boiler and a gravel or paved lot out back.
In short: LendingStreet finances Bismarck and Mandan duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes with DSCR loans that qualify on the combined rent of all units, with no W-2s or tax returns. Loans start at $150,000, purchases go up to 80% LTV and the minimum credit score is 620. Include any special assessment installments in your payment, since they lower the ratio.
Fourplexes are the most common small multifamily in Bismarck and Mandan, found across the older parts of both cities and along arterial streets. Many were built during the energy boom of the late 1970s and early 80s and have similar layouts, which makes rent comparisons easier.
Duplexes, including up-down units in older homes near downtown and the Cathedral District, rent to state employees, nurses and students. Newer side-by-side duplexes appear in north Bismarck and in Mandan, and some were built during the 2010s oil boom.
Tenant demand is broad. State government, two regional hospitals, Bismarck State College, University of Mary and energy-sector employers all support rentals, and many workers rent for several years before buying. Well-maintained two-bedroom fourplex units tend to lease steadily.
A twin home in North Dakota is usually two homes sharing a wall, each on its own lot with its own deed. Even though it looks like a duplex, each half is a separate single-family property for financing, taxes and sale.
That matters for a DSCR loan. If you buy both halves, you would usually finance them as two properties or as part of a blanket loan, not as one duplex. Check the plat and tax records to see how the property is divided. The same applies to townhome rows, where each unit usually has its own lot and may also have an association with leasing rules.
| Property type | How it is divided | How it is usually financed |
|---|---|---|
| Fourplex | One building, one lot | One 2-4 unit DSCR loan |
| Up-down duplex | One building, one lot | One 2-4 unit DSCR loan |
| Side-by-side duplex | One lot or two, check the plat | Duplex loan if one lot |
| Twin home | Two lots, two deeds | Each half separately, or in a blanket |
Bismarck and Mandan each have zoning districts that permit two-family and multifamily housing. A legal fourplex should match its zoning or have legal nonconforming status. Up-down duplexes in older homes should have permits for the second unit.
Ask for the certificate of occupancy or permit history and confirm the unit count with the city and assessor records. An unpermitted unit may not count toward rent.
If you plan to convert a large older home into a duplex or add units, confirm the zoning, parking and building code requirements first. The rent from a unit you plan to add generally does not count until it exists and is leased.
This example is illustrative and not a quote. An investor buys a fourplex in Bismarck for $450,000. Each unit rents for $1,000 a month, for $4,000 combined. Taxes are $560 a month, a street special assessment adds $120 a month and insurance is $220.
At 80% LTV the loan is $360,000 and estimated principal and interest on a 30-year term is about $2,517. The total payment is about $3,417 and DSCR is about 1.17x. At 75% LTV the loan is $337,500, principal and interest about $2,360, the payment about $3,260 and DSCR about 1.23x.
Without the special assessment, DSCR at 80% would look closer to 1.21x, which is why it belongs in your numbers from the start.
Bismarck funds many street and utility projects through special assessments billed to property owners over many years, and older blocks may carry new assessments when streets are rebuilt. Ask the seller and the city for any remaining balance and pending projects.
North Dakota computes property tax from a fraction of market value and local mill levies, and the primary residence credit does not apply to rentals. Confirm figures with the City of Bismarck or Mandan assessor.
Many Bismarck fourplexes have one boiler and one gas meter, and the owner pays heat. In a North Dakota winter that is a real cost. A lender will look at rent and the PITIA payment; your own budget should include heat, snow removal and common-area electricity.
Ask for 12 months of utility bills and the age of the boiler and roof. Frozen-pipe claims in vacant units are a common winter risk.
Insurance on an older fourplex should reflect hail and wind exposure as well. Ask for roof age and material, and check the flood map if the property is in a low-lying part of south Bismarck or Mandan near the rivers.
North Dakota landlord-tenant law sets deposit limits and notice rules, and the state has no rent control. Rents in Bismarck have been steady, supported by state government, healthcare and energy employment. Units with in-unit laundry, a garage or plug-ins for winter tend to lease fastest and command higher rent.
Lenders use leases or a market rent estimate for each unit. Similar fourplexes nearby make rent comparisons straightforward.
Keep written leases, move-in inspections and records of every notice. A clean rent roll speeds up a DSCR file and supports value at the next refinance.
Bismarck also has many six- and eight-plexes, which are still residential for DSCR purposes, though maximum LTV can be lower and varies by program; see our Bismarck 5-8 unit page. Nine or more units is commercial.
Investors holding twin homes and fourplexes can combine five or more under a blanket loan. Send the address, price, leases, tax and assessment details and an insurance quote, and LendingStreet will run the numbers. Call (877) 298-1001 or use the form below to get a quote.
Yes. The loan qualifies on combined rent from all four units, with no W-2s or tax returns. Purchases go up to 80% LTV.
Usually not. Each half of a twin home is its own lot and deed, so it is financed as a separate property or as part of a blanket loan.
Yes. The annual installment is part of the payment and lowers the ratio.
Often the owner, when the building has one boiler. It does not change DSCR but does affect cash flow, so ask for a full year of gas bills.
No. Rents are set by the lease and the market.
Yes. Rate-and-term and cash-out refinances are available, with cash-out up to 75% LTV. Seasoning rules vary by program.
No. Our investor loans are business-purpose loans on non-owner-occupied property, so the home or units must be rented to others.
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