San Diego rentals are expensive, so the ratio is tight and leverage matters. Investors who do well here usually stack income with a permitted ADU, choose the loan amount carefully and know the city's short-term rental caps before they buy.
In short: Our top pick for San Diego is LendingStreet. We qualify on the property's rent, including permitted ADU rent, with no W-2s or tax returns and LLC borrowers as standard. Loans start at $150,000 with no stated maximum, which matters at San Diego prices, and purchases go up to 80% LTV and cash-out up to 75%, with sub-1.0 DSCR programs when the ratio is close. Get a quote with the form below or call (877) 298-1001.
LendingStreet offers business-purpose DSCR loans on non-owner-occupied 1-8 unit rentals across San Diego County: single-family homes with ADUs, condos, duplexes and small apartment buildings. We underwrite on rent, require a 620 minimum credit score, and offer 30-year terms. High-value homes can use our jumbo DSCR programs, where larger balances get more review and max LTV varies by program.
We fit investors whose income is real but complex, owners refinancing a rental bought years ago, and buyers who need to size the loan to the rent rather than the other way around. Share the address, value and rents, and we will show you the loan amount where the numbers work.
Investors searching for DSCR lenders often compare national names like CoreVest, Dominion Financial, LendingOne, Lima One, New Silver and RCN Capital. Here is how LendingStreet stacks up on the scenarios that matter most for investors in San Diego, CA. In every scenario below, LendingStreet is the best fit.
Figures for other lenders are as stated on each lender's own website as of November 2026. Lender terms change, so verify current terms with any lender before you apply. Ready to see your numbers? Use the form below or call (877) 298-1001.
| Scenario | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rental loan above $2M | LendingStreet | Our DSCR loans have no stated maximum. LendingOne states DSCR loans up to $2,000,000 and RCN Capital states long-term rental loans up to $1.5M. |
| Credit score in the 620s | LendingStreet | Our DSCR minimum is 620. RCN Capital and New Silver state 660 minimums, and Dominion Financial states 680, with exceptions to 660. |
| 5-8 unit building | LendingStreet | We treat 1-8 units as residential DSCR. Lima One and CoreVest state 1-4 unit eligibility for their rental loans. |
| Property in any state, including DC | LendingStreet | We lend in all 50 states and DC. Lima One states it lends across 46 states, and Dominion Financial lists 49 states plus DC. |
Most San Diego investors compare a handful of lender types. This table describes each one generally on the issues that matter for a long-term rental.
| Question | LendingStreet | Typical bank or credit union | Typical short-term private lender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do I need W-2s or tax returns? | No; we qualify on rent | Usually yes | Usually no, but the loan is short-term |
| Can my LLC borrow? | Yes, it is standard | Sometimes | Usually |
| Is a 30-year term available? | Yes | Varies | Rarely |
| How much can I borrow on a purchase? | Up to 80% LTV | Varies | Varies |
| Can I pull cash out? | Up to 75% LTV; seasoning varies by program | Varies | Not the typical use |
| What if DSCR is under 1.0x? | Sub-1.0 programs exist | Usually not offered | Not a DSCR product |
Close-in neighborhoods such as North Park, South Park, Normal Heights, City Heights and Clairemont have older single-family homes on lots that often fit an ADU, plus small multi-unit buildings. Pacific Beach, Mission Beach and Ocean Beach carry beach-area pricing and their own short-term rental rules.
Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Camp Pendleton to the north support steady rental demand from military families, as do the universities and the biotech employers around Sorrento Valley. Investors looking for lower entry prices often turn to Chula Vista, National City, El Cajon, La Mesa, Escondido, Oceanside and Vista.
Under Proposition 13, the base property tax is 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved bonds and special assessments, and the home is reassessed at your purchase price. Newer communities in places like Otay Ranch can carry Mello-Roos special taxes. Use the post-purchase figure, never the seller's older bill.
The county documentary transfer tax is modest and is customarily paid by the seller in much of California, but confirm with escrow. Insurance has become harder to place in California, especially near wildfire-prone canyons and the eastern backcountry, so get a quote before you remove contingencies and include it in the ratio.
California's statewide rent cap and just-cause rules apply to many rentals, and San Diego has its own tenant protection ordinance. Some single-family homes can be exempt with proper notice, depending on ownership, so ask a local attorney how the rules apply to your LLC. Permitted ADU rent can count toward the ratio; unpermitted units are a problem.
San Diego licenses whole-home short-term rentals in tiers, with licenses for non-primary-residence rentals capped at about 1% of the city's housing units outside Mission Beach, plus a separate cap in Mission Beach. Licenses are limited, so most investors here underwrite on long-term leases. Elsewhere in the county, check each city's rules.
This example is illustrative and not a quote. An investor buys a Clairemont home with a permitted ADU for $1,150,000. The main house leases for $4,200 and the ADU for $2,300, for $6,500 a month. Taxes at the new assessed value are budgeted at $1,150 a month and insurance at $175.
At 70% LTV the loan is $805,000 and estimated principal and interest is about $5,356, for a total payment near $6,681 and DSCR of about 0.97x, just under 1.0x. Dropping to 65% LTV, a $747,500 loan, brings the payment to about $6,298 and DSCR to about 1.03x. The investor can bring more cash or ask about a sub-1.0 program.
| Item | 70% LTV | 65% LTV |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | $805,000 | $747,500 |
| Estimated principal and interest | $5,356 | $4,973 |
| Property taxes | $1,150 | $1,150 |
| Insurance | $175 | $175 |
| Total monthly payment | $6,681 | $6,298 |
| DSCR at $6,500 rent | About 0.97x | About 1.03x |
Many San Diego investors bought years ago and now hold large equity. A cash-out refinance up to 75% LTV can fund another purchase or an ADU build, while a rate-and-term refinance up to 80% on some programs can move a rental into an LLC-friendly, 30-year loan.
Because values are high, the rent often limits the loan before the LTV does. Running the ratio first tells you how much cash is realistic, and sub-1.0 programs can widen the range when the numbers are close.
A quick way to compare lenders is to run each one through the same short checklist.
For LendingStreet, the answers are simple: 80% max LTV on purchases, 75% on cash-out, a 1.0x standard minimum plus sub-1.0 options, program-based seasoning, LLC borrowers welcome, a document list from day one, and loans from $150,000 with no stated cap, with leverage that varies by program on large loans.
Send the address, price or value, leases for each unit including the ADU, and an insurance quote. We will find the loan amount that clears your ratio and explain the trade-offs. Get a quote with the form below or call (877) 298-1001.
For homes above about $1.5M, ask us about jumbo DSCR options.
Our top pick is LendingStreet: rent-based approval, no W-2s or tax returns, LLC borrowers, loans from $150,000 with no stated maximum, and sub-1.0 programs for tight San Diego ratios.
Yes. We finance rentals throughout San Diego County, all of California, and all 50 states and DC.
Permitted ADU rent can count. Bring the lease or a rent estimate and proof that the unit is legal.
High prices relative to rent. Lowering the loan amount, adding ADU income or using a sub-1.0 program are the usual fixes.
Whole-home licenses for non-primary residences are capped and limited, so do not count on one. Confirm license status before relying on nightly income.
Yes. Under Prop 13 the assessed value resets to your purchase price, so taxes are based on what you paid.
Yes. Cash-out goes up to 75% LTV and rate-and-term up to 80% on some programs, with seasoning that varies by program.
No. Our loans are business-purpose loans on non-owner-occupied investment property.
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