Huntington is not a resort town, and a page that pretends otherwise would not help you. What it has is a steady mix of Marshall University game days and graduations, patients and staff at two large hospitals, and travelers passing through the Ohio River tri-state. The right property can book well. The wrong one sits empty from December to March.
In short: LendingStreet finances Huntington-area short-term rentals with DSCR loans that can qualify on projected nightly revenue on some programs instead of a long-term lease. Loans start at $150,000, purchases go up to 80% LTV, the standard minimum DSCR is 1.0x and the minimum credit score is 620. Because many Huntington homes sell for less than the loan minimum supports, nightly rentals here often work best on larger homes near Marshall or Ritter Park, or combined with other rentals.
Demand in Huntington is event-driven and medical. Marshall home football games at Joan C. Edwards Stadium fill rooms on fall Saturdays, and move-in, family weekends and commencement do the same on a few dates each year. Visiting teams, recruits and alumni add more.
Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary's Medical Center and the Marshall medical school bring patient families, visiting clinicians and traveling nurses, many of whom stay 30 days or longer. Business travelers working at river terminals, rail yards and plants along the Ohio make up a smaller, steadier share.
Short-term rental rules in West Virginia are mostly set by each city and county, and they change. Before you buy, check the City of Huntington's zoning and business license requirements for the exact parcel, and ask whether any rental registration or inspection program applies. Outside city limits, Cabell and Wayne counties and towns such as Barboursville and Milton have their own rules.
Hotel occupancy taxes in West Virginia are levied locally on short stays, and state sales tax generally applies to lodging as well. Confirm which taxes your booking platform collects and which you must file yourself. Condo associations and some subdivisions also prohibit rentals under 30 days, so read the covenants.
Huntington's strongest months follow the Marshall calendar: late August move-in, the fall football season and May commencement. Spring brings baseball, softball and other events, and summer is moderate, with river events and visitors to Ritter Park and nearby state parks.
Winter is slow for leisure stays. Many Huntington hosts fill January through March with medium-term guests, especially hospital staff on 8 to 13 week contracts. A projection that assumes football-weekend rates every week of the year is not credible here, and underwriting will look for month-by-month revenue.
This example is illustrative and not a quote. An investor buys a four-bedroom Southside home near Ritter Park for $235,000. A third-party projection estimates $34,000 a year in revenue, about $2,833 a month, from game weekends, hospital stays and family visits.
At 75% LTV the loan is $176,250, above the $150,000 minimum. Estimated principal and interest is about $1,226. Taxes are budgeted at $274 a month at the non-owner-occupied class and short-term rental insurance at $165, for a total of about $1,665.
On the full projection, DSCR is about 1.70x. If revenue came in 20% lower, about $2,267 a month, DSCR would be about 1.36x. Lower Huntington prices give room for a weaker year, as long as the projection itself is realistic.
| Item | Full projection | Projection less 20% |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly revenue used | $2,833 | $2,267 |
| Estimated principal and interest | $1,226 | $1,226 |
| Taxes and insurance | $439 | $439 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,665 | $1,665 |
| DSCR | About 1.70x | About 1.36x |
Many Huntington houses sell well under $200,000, and at 75% LTV a $150,000 purchase produces a loan of only $112,500, below our $150,000 minimum. That does not rule out the market. Investors usually focus on larger homes that suit groups and families, buy with more leverage on a qualifying price, or combine several rentals into one blanket portfolio loan once they own five or more.
A three-bedroom near campus that could also lease to a long-term tenant is often a safer choice than a small one-bedroom that only works as a nightly rental.
If you want more leisure demand than Huntington itself provides, the region has a few options. Beech Fork State Park in Wayne County draws campers and anglers, and southern West Virginia's Hatfield-McCoy Trails attract off-road riders to towns in Logan and Mingo counties, a longer drive south. The New River Gorge area is farther still.
Each of these areas has its own county rules and seasonal patterns. Our West Virginia short-term rental page covers the state's main STR markets in more detail.
Huntington's downtown sits behind the Ohio River floodwall, but some neighborhoods near the river, Fourpole Creek and the Guyandotte River fall in mapped flood zones. Check the FEMA flood map and ask the seller for flood history. Standard homeowner policies often exclude nightly rentals, so get a short-term rental policy quote before you finalize the numbers.
Older Southside and Highlawn homes may have original wiring, slate or aging roofs and basement water issues. An inspection protects both the guest experience and the insurance quote.
On some programs, DSCR is calculated on projected short-term rental revenue, often from a third-party projection, instead of a signed lease. Comparable rentals matter, so a Southside four-bedroom should be compared with similar homes near campus, not with a Barboursville apartment. If the projection seems low, our guide to low AirDNA projections explains the options.
If you already run a Huntington rental, your own booking history can support a refinance on some programs. Send the address, price and projection or history through the form below, or call (877) 298-1001.
Yes, if the property can legally operate as a short-term rental under city or county rules and qualifies on projected revenue or a lease. Loans start at $150,000.
Check with the City of Huntington for current zoning, business license and any rental registration requirements on the specific parcel. Rules can change.
Local hotel occupancy tax and state sales tax generally apply to short stays in West Virginia. Confirm what your booking platform collects.
At 75% LTV, a lower price can produce a loan below the $150,000 minimum. Larger homes or a blanket portfolio loan on five or more rentals can solve that.
Marshall football weekends, move-in and commencement, plus steady hospital-related stays. Winter leisure demand is light.
Many stay 30 days or longer, which is generally treated as a lease rather than a hotel stay. They help fill slow months.
On some programs, yes. DSCR can be calculated on a third-party revenue projection.
No. Our investor loans are business-purpose loans on non-owner-occupied property.
2-3 competing quotes from 30+ capital sources. No credit pull. No commitment.
By clicking, you provide express written consent to be contacted by LendingStreet (NMLS #1734316) via SMS, phone, or email, possibly using automated technology, regarding your loan inquiry. Reply STOP to opt out. Consent is not required to obtain services. See our Privacy Policy and Terms.