A lot of Louisiana rentals start life on short money. A New Orleans double bought with a rehab loan, a Baton Rouge house financed on a bank balloon, a Lafayette rental picked up at a quick close. Sooner or later each one needs a long-term home, and the lender you choose for that refinance shapes the next decade of cash flow.
In short: LendingStreet is our top pick for DSCR rate-and-term refinances in Louisiana. We qualify the loan on the property's rent instead of your tax returns, refinance up to 80% LTV on some programs, and offer 30-year terms so a maturing bridge, hard money or bank balloon loan becomes stable long-term debt. LLC borrowers are standard, loans start at $150,000 with no stated maximum, and the minimum credit score is 620.
LendingStreet makes business-purpose DSCR loans on non-owner-occupied rentals from single-family homes up to 8-unit buildings. A rate-and-term refinance pays off the loan you have now, plus normal closing costs, and replaces it with a long-term loan sized on the rent. You are not trying to pull cash out. You are trying to stop the clock on a maturity date or swap a costly payment for a steadier one.
This fits Louisiana investors who finished a rehab with a short-term loan, whose bank note is coming due, or who simply want an LLC-held rental on a 30-year schedule. Standard minimum DSCR is 1.0x, and sub-1.0 programs exist when a property is close. To see where your rental lands, get a quote with the form below or call (877) 298-1001.
Investors searching for DSCR refinance 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 Louisiana. 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. |
Investors in Louisiana usually weigh three paths when a short-term loan is ending: go back to a local bank or credit union, extend with a local hard money lender, or move to a long-term DSCR loan. Here is how they line up on what matters most in a refinance.
| What a refinancing investor needs | LendingStreet | Typical bank or credit union | Typical local hard money lender |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you qualify | Property rent; no W-2s or tax returns | Personal income and tax returns are common | Mostly the asset; terms vary |
| Term | 30-year terms available | Often 5 to 10 year balloons on investor loans | Usually short-term only |
| Rate-and-term leverage | Up to 80% LTV on some programs | Varies | Varies widely |
| LLC as borrower | Standard | Sometimes; varies | Common |
| Long-term exit included | Yes; this is the long-term loan | Yes, but with balloon timing | No; you still need a refinance later |
| Where we lend | All 50 states and DC | Often local footprint | Often local only |
In New Orleans, investors buy shotgun doubles, camelbacks and Creole cottages in Mid-City, Gentilly, the Seventh Ward and Algiers, and many of those houses need real work. The usual pattern is a short-term rehab loan, a lease-up, and then a refinance. In Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport-Bossier, Lake Charles and Monroe, the stock leans toward brick ranch homes and small duplexes, often bought with local bank financing that carries a balloon.
Either way, the refinance moment arrives on someone else's calendar. A DSCR loan resets it on yours.
Louisiana is a civil law state, and closings commonly run through a notary or closing attorney, so build that into your timeline. Property is assessed by each parish assessor, and investors do not get the homestead exemption, so use the full non-homestead tax bill in your numbers rather than the seller's old one.
Insurance often moves a Louisiana DSCR ratio more than taxes do. Wind and hurricane coverage, flood insurance where a property sits in a mapped flood zone, and roof age can all change the premium. Get a current quote with the deductible before you apply, and confirm local costs with your insurance agent and title company.
Rental rules matter too. New Orleans tightly restricts short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods, so most refinances there are underwritten on 12-month leases. Other parishes and cities set their own permit and inspection rules, so check with the local government before you count on a rental income stream that depends on them.
This example is illustrative and not a quote. An investor finished renovating a shotgun double in Gentilly with a short-term loan. The double now appraises at $340,000, the payoff is $236,000, and $6,000 of closing costs are rolled into the new loan. Both sides are leased at $1,450, for $2,900 a month.
The new loan of $242,000 is about 71.2% of value, inside the program limit. With estimated principal and interest of $1,651, taxes of $290 and wind and flood insurance of $425, the payment is $2,366 and the DSCR is about 1.23x. Notice that insurance is larger than taxes here, which is common in south Louisiana.
| Item | Gentilly double refinance |
|---|---|
| Appraised value | $340,000 |
| Payoff of the current loan | $236,000 |
| Closing costs rolled in | $6,000 |
| New DSCR loan amount | $242,000 |
| Loan-to-value | About 71.2% |
| Monthly rent used | $2,900 |
| Estimated principal and interest | $1,651 |
| Property taxes | $290 |
| Insurance | $425 |
| Total monthly payment | $2,366 |
| DSCR | About 1.23x |
Seasoning, meaning how long you have owned the property before refinancing, varies by program. Some programs look at the appraised value after a rehab once the property is leased, while others weigh what you paid. Our seasoning guide covers the details; ask us early, ideally a few months before a short-term loan matures.
To move quickly, have the current payoff letter, signed leases, an insurance quote and your entity documents ready. Appraisal scheduling and title work are usually what set the pace.
Before you commit, put the same short list to every lender you talk to. Clear answers up front usually mean fewer surprises at closing. Here is how LendingStreet answers each one.
| Question | LendingStreet's answer |
|---|---|
| Maximum LTV on a rate-and-term refinance | Up to 80% on some programs; varies by program |
| Minimum DSCR | 1.0x standard; sub-1.0 programs exist |
| Seasoning before the refinance | Varies by program |
| Can an LLC borrow | Yes; LLC borrowers are standard |
| Closing timeline | Driven mostly by the appraisal, title and a complete file |
| Large-balance limits | From $150,000 with no stated maximum; larger balances get more review |
Once your first rentals are on long-term DSCR loans, each new purchase is judged on its own rent rather than on your personal debt ratio. Owners with five or more rentals can look at a blanket portfolio loan that combines them under one payment. If you want to take equity out instead of just refinancing, see our Louisiana cash-out page. Call (877) 298-1001 to talk through the plan.
Our top pick is LendingStreet. You qualify on rent rather than tax returns, refinance up to 80% LTV on some programs, borrow in an LLC and choose a 30-year term. Get a quote with the form below.
Yes. We lend across Louisiana, from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Lafayette, Shreveport and Lake Charles, and in all 50 states and DC.
It replaces your current loan with a new one, covering the payoff and normal closing costs, without taking meaningful cash out. The goal is a better term or a steadier payment.
Yes. Once the property is finished and leased, a DSCR loan can pay off the short-term loan. Our bridge-to-DSCR guide explains the steps.
Yes. Flood and wind premiums count in the monthly payment, so a high premium lowers the ratio. Get a real quote before you apply.
No. DSCR loans qualify on the property's rent. Credit, the appraisal and the lease or market rent still matter.
Yes. We finance 1 to 8 units as residential DSCR. Buildings with 9 or more units go through our commercial lending.
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