Small apartment buildings near BYU and UVU are some of the most distinctive rentals in Utah. Many rent by the bed on semester contracts, which makes the rent roll look different from a typical five- to eight-unit building anywhere else.
In short: LendingStreet finances 5-8 unit residential buildings in Provo, Orem and across Utah County with DSCR loans that qualify on the combined rent of all units, with no W-2s or tax returns. Loans start at $150,000 with no stated maximum and the standard minimum DSCR is 1.0x; maximum LTV on 5-8 unit properties can be lower than on smaller rentals and varies by program. Buildings with 9 or more units are commercial and covered on our multifamily page.
Most of the county's small apartment buildings sit close to campus: in Joaquin and the blocks north and east of BYU, along 900 East and in older parts of central Provo, and on Orem's west side near Utah Valley University. Many were built in the 1960s and 1970s as student housing, and some are newer replacements of older homes.
Away from campus, five- to eight-unit buildings are less common. You will find some in older parts of Springville, American Fork and Spanish Fork, usually leased to workforce tenants on 12-month terms.
BYU's off-campus housing rules require many single students to live in university-contracted housing, which comes with standards and contract terms set by the university. In those buildings, owners often sign separate contracts for each bed rather than one lease per apartment, with fall-winter and spring-summer contract periods.
For underwriting, that means building a full-year picture of rent. Strong fall and winter income is usually followed by softer spring and summer occupancy. Lenders and appraisers want to see how the building actually performs across all twelve months, not just its peak.
This example is illustrative and not a quote. An investor buys a six-unit building near BYU for $1,350,000. Each apartment houses four students on per-bed contracts at $475 per bed, or $11,400 a month during the eight-month fall-winter period. Over the four spring-summer months, occupancy runs at about 60%, so average monthly rent across the year is about $9,880. Taxes are $640 and insurance is $420 a month.
At 70% LTV the loan is $945,000, estimated principal and interest is about $6,608, the payment is about $7,668 and DSCR on full-year average rent is about 1.29x. At 65% LTV the loan is $877,500 and DSCR is about 1.37x. Using only fall rent would have overstated the ratio.
| Period | Months | Monthly rent | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall-winter contracts | 8 | $11,400 | $91,200 |
| Spring-summer contracts (about 60%) | 4 | $6,840 | $27,360 |
| Full year | 12 | $9,880 average | $118,560 |
Provo and Orem regulate how many unrelated adults may live in a unit, and the limits depend on the zone. Buildings in zones designed for student housing can allow more occupants than single-family neighborhoods, but you need to know the legal number for each apartment. A rent roll that assumes more tenants than the city allows is a problem in underwriting and with the city.
Ask for the building's approved occupancy, any city or university approvals and current contracts before you make an offer. If a seller has been renting to more people than the city allows, the legal rent may be lower than the rent roll shows, and that lower figure is what the loan should be built on.
Our programs treat 1-8 units as residential, so a six-unit building qualifies on its rent the same way a duplex does. You do not need commercial underwriting or personal income documents. Leverage can be lower than on 1-4 units, reserves can be higher, and the appraisal relies heavily on the income approach.
Student buildings often include utilities and internet in the contract price, and turnover each spring and fall means cleaning, repairs and furnishing costs. Those costs are not part of the DSCR payment on most programs, but they come out of your cash flow. Ask for two years of operating statements and budget for them honestly.
Insurance also deserves attention. A multi-unit building with many occupants can price higher than a typical rental, and Wasatch Front earthquake coverage is a separate decision.
Utah's 45% residential exemption applies to property used as a primary residence. Whether a student building qualifies can depend on how the units are used and documented, so ask the Utah County Assessor how your building is classified. The answer can change your tax line meaningfully, and with it the DSCR.
A five- to eight-unit building in Springville or American Fork leased on 12-month terms underwrites more like a conventional rental. Rent is steadier through the year, turnover costs are lower and the tenant pool is broader. Rents per unit are usually lower than per-bed student income, so compare the two on a full-year basis, not on peak months.
If the building has 9 or more units, or includes commercial space, it falls outside our residential programs; see our multifamily loans page.
Send LendingStreet the address, price, rent roll or contract schedule, operating statements and the approved occupancy. We will run the ratio on full-year rent and show you options at different leverage levels. For statewide context, see our Utah 5-8 unit page and our general 5-8 unit DSCR guide. If you are comparing a student building with a workforce building, send both and we will run them side by side.
Yes. We treat 1-8 units as residential, so it qualifies on combined rent without tax returns. We look at rent across a full year, including softer spring and summer months.
We look at the contract schedule and actual collections across the year. Peak fall rent alone overstates the income, so full-year average rent is the better measure.
It can be. Maximum LTV on 5-8 unit buildings is often lower than on 1-4 units and varies by program and loan size. Reserve requirements can be higher too.
Yes. The rent we use has to reflect legal occupancy. Confirm each apartment's approved occupancy with the city before you rely on it.
It depends on how the property is used and classified. Ask the Utah County Assessor before you rely on a lower tax figure.
Nine or more units is commercial and falls outside our residential programs. See our multifamily loans page for those buildings.
Yes. Five or more rentals, each 1-8 units, can go under one blanket portfolio loan with one closing and one payment.
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