How to calculate debt-to-income ratio for investment property?

Asked by: Marlene Bailey  |  Last update: November 14, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (63 votes)

To calculate your debt-to-income ratio:
  1. Add up your monthly bills which may include: Monthly rent or house payment. ...
  2. Divide the total by your gross monthly income, which is your income before taxes.
  3. The result is your DTI, which will be in the form of a percentage. The lower the DTI, the less risky you are to lenders.

How do you calculate DTI on an investment property?

The DTI ratio calculation is simple, just divide the fixed monthly expenses (rent or mortgage, car payments, student loans, credit card debt, etc) by the borrower's monthly gross income.

What is a good debt-to-income ratio for a rental property?

A DTI as high as 50% is typically acceptable. It works only slightly differently for income-producing real estate. The lender typically will consider 75% of the gross scheduled rental income, less the total payment (principal, interest, taxes and insurance). If the number is positive, it will be treated as income.

What is the formula for debt ratio in real estate?

DSCR = net operating income (NOI) / total debt service

To calculate a property's DSCR, divide its annual NOI by its annual debt service payments, which include principal and interest. For instance, a property generating $450,000 of NOI with $250,000 in debt service would have a DSCR of 1.8.

What type of income is not included when calculating debt-to-income ratio?

The monthly debt payments included in your back-end DTI calculation typically include your proposed monthly mortgage payment, credit card debt, student loans, car loans, and alimony or child support. Don't include non-debt expenses like utilities, insurance or food.

How to Calculate Your Debt to Income Ratios (DTI) First Time Home Buyer Know this!

29 related questions found

What expenses are not included in debt-to-income ratio?

The following payments should not be included: Monthly utilities, like water, garbage, electricity or gas bills. Car Insurance expenses. Cable bills.

Are property taxes included in the debt-to-income ratio?

First is the front-end DTI ratio, which measures how much of your gross monthly income will be used on your monthly mortgage payment, including property taxes, mortgage insurance and homeowners insurance.

What is a good debt to asset ratio for a REIT?

For real estate investment companies, including real estate investment trusts (REITs), the average debt-to-equity ratio tends to be around 3.5:1. This means that for every dollar owned in shareholders' equity, the company carries $3.50 in debt.

How do you calculate the debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage?

To calculate your debt-to-income ratio:
  1. Add up your monthly bills which may include: Monthly rent or house payment. ...
  2. Divide the total by your gross monthly income, which is your income before taxes.
  3. The result is your DTI, which will be in the form of a percentage. The lower the DTI, the less risky you are to lenders.

Why do REITs have so much debt?

On the other hand, REITs can often take advantage of lower interest rates by reducing their interest expenses and thereby increasing their profitability. Since REITs buy real estate, you may see higher levels of debt than for other types of companies.

What is the maximum DTI for a second home?

Income required for a second home loan

Debt-to-income ratio requirements depend on your down payment size and credit score. Fannie Mae allows a DTI up to 45% with a 660 FICO score and at least a 25% down payment. A 45% DTI means your total monthly payments add up to 45% of your gross monthly income.

How much income do most landlords require?

As a rule of thumb, your renter's income should be 40 times your rent, which is basically the same as 30% of their total salary.

What is the 2 percent rule for rental?

The 2% rule states that the expected monthly rental income should equal or exceed 2% of the purchase price. Using the same example, a $200,000 rental property should generate a monthly rental income of at least $4,000.

Does rental property count as DTI?

If your home is an investment property, however, lenders will generally allow you to count up to 75% of your expected rental income toward your DTI. This can require additional paperwork and even a special appraisal to ensure that your rental figures are comparable to the ones in the rest of the neighborhood.

How do you calculate investment property?

The formula for this calculation is as follows:
  1. ROI = (Annual Rental Income - Annual Operating Costs) / Mortgage Value. ...
  2. Cap Rate = Net Operating Income / Purchase Price × 100% ...
  3. Cash-on-Cash Return = (Annual Cash Flow / Total Cash Invested) × 100% ...
  4. Related Articles.

Is DTI calculated before or after taxes?

Your DTI ratio should help you understand your comfort level with your current debt situation and determine your ability to make payments on any new money you may borrow. Remember, your DTI is based on your income before taxes - not on the amount you actually take home.

What is the formula for calculating debt ratio?

A company's debt ratio can be calculated by dividing total debt by total assets. A debt ratio of greater than 1.0 or 100% means a company has more debt than assets while a debt ratio of less than 100% indicates that a company has more assets than debt.

What is a good credit score but a high debt-to-income ratio?

FHA loans for higher DTI

FHA loans are known for being more lenient with credit and DTI requirements. With a good credit score (580 or higher), you might qualify for an FHA loan with a DTI ratio of up to 50%. This makes FHA loans a popular choice for borrowers with good credit but high debt-to-income ratios.

What is the 28/36 rule?

According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance. Private mortgage insurance.

What is the 90% REIT rule?

A REIT is required to pay a dividend of at least 90 percent of its taxable income each year. A dividend is any distribution of cash or property made by a corporation to its shareholders out of its earnings and profits from the current taxable year and then from accumulated earnings and profits from prior years.

What is a good debt ratio for investors?

Whether or not a debt ratio is "good" depends on contextual factors, including the company's industrial sector, the prevailing interest rate, and more. Investors usually look for a company to have a debt ratio between 0.3 (30%) and 0.6 (60%).

What is the 75% rule for REITs?

In general, a REIT must derive at least 95% of its gross income from certain passive sources and at least 75% of its gross income from certain real estate related sources. Similarly, at least 75% of the value of a REIT's assets must be attributable to certain real estate related assets.

What bills are not included in debt-to-income ratio?

Monthly Payments Not Included in the Debt-to-Income Formula

Many of your monthly bills aren't included in your debt-to-income ratio because they're not debts. These typically include common household expenses such as: Utilities (garbage, electricity, cell phone/landline, gas, water) Cable and internet.

What is the formula to calculate the debt-to-income ratio?

Add up your monthly debt payments (rent/mortgage payments, student loans, auto loans and your monthly minimum credit card payments). Find your gross monthly income (your monthly income before taxes). Debt-to-income ratio = your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income.

Does rent count towards debt-to-income ratio?

If you're currently leasing an apartment, your monthly rent is typically included in your debt-to-income ratio. Your housing payment is considered a necessary expense, even if you rent.