Quick Answer: Maryland DSCR Loans. Defy Mortgage originates DSCR loans across Maryland for real estate investors. The property qualifies on its own rental cash flow — no tax returns, no DTI calculation, no employment verification. Minimum DSCR is 0.75, minimum FICO is 640, and loans start at $75,000 with no hard maximum loan amount. Most files close in 14 to 21 days.
Picture the deal: a brick rowhome in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood, tenanted at market rent, listed at a price that still pencils. A traditional lender wants two years of tax returns and a debt-to-income calculation that treats the rental as a liability. A DSCR loan asks one question instead — does the rent cover the payment? In Maryland’s rowhome markets, it usually does.
Why Maryland Works for DSCR Investors
Maryland runs three distinct rental economies. Baltimore is the value play: rowhome stock in neighborhoods like Canton, Federal Hill, Hampden, and Highlandtown trades at entry prices well below the D.C. metro while drawing steady tenant demand from the city’s hospital systems, universities, and port economy. The D.C.-commuter counties — Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard, Anne Arundel — carry higher price points but deep, stable tenant pools anchored by federal and defense employment. The coast is a seasonal short-term rental market centered on Ocean City, where summer revenue does a full year’s work.
Each track fits a different DSCR strategy: long-term rowhome rentals in Baltimore, appreciation-plus-stability holds in the commuter counties, and STR underwriting on the coast.
Maryland DSCR Loan Requirements
| Minimum DSCR | 0.75 |
| Minimum credit score | 640 |
| Loan amounts | $75,000 minimum — no hard maximum |
| Max LTV, purchase | Up to 85% (single-family) / up to 80% (2–4 unit) |
| Max LTV, cash-out refinance | Up to 80% (single-family) / up to 75% (2–4 unit) |
| Max LTV, rate/term refinance | Up to 80% (single-family) / up to 75% (2–4 unit) |
| Typical close | 14–21 days |
| Documentation | No tax returns · no DTI calculation · no employment verification |
Maximum LTVs are “up to” figures — final leverage and pricing come from the live SLATE rate matrix based on the property’s DSCR, credit tier, and loan purpose. See the full DSCR loan requirements.
The Math on a Baltimore Rowhome
DSCR is one division problem: gross monthly rent divided by the full monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and any association dues — PITIA).
Take a Canton-adjacent rowhome at $285,000 renting for $2,300 a month. At 80% leverage, with matrix-priced principal and interest plus Baltimore City taxes and insurance, the all-in PITIA lands near $1,780.
$2,300 ÷ $1,780 = 1.29 DSCR.
That ratio clears Defy’s 0.75 floor with room to spare — the rowhome rent does the qualifying, not the buyer’s W-2. Run your own deal through the DSCR loan calculator before you write the offer.
Maryland Underwriting Realities
Baltimore City licensing and lead registration. Every Baltimore City rental needs a rental license and, for pre-1978 stock — which is most of the rowhome inventory — lead-paint registration and inspection compliance. Budget the certification timeline into your closing plan; it does not block a DSCR loan, but it does gate legal tenancy.
County-level rent stabilization. Several Maryland jurisdictions have adopted rent stabilization measures in recent years, and the details differ by county. Underwrite rent growth conservatively in stabilized jurisdictions — the DSCR that qualifies the loan should be the DSCR at today’s legal rent, not a projected one.
Property taxes swing by jurisdiction. Baltimore City’s effective property tax rate runs meaningfully higher than most surrounding counties, and taxes sit inside the PITIA denominator. The same rent supports a noticeably different DSCR on either side of the city line — check the actual tax bill, not a state average.
Ocean City STR seasonality. Coastal short-term rentals concentrate most of their revenue in a summer window. Defy underwrites STR income with revenue history, and the annualized number is what counts — confirm the unit can legally operate as an STR at that address before underwriting it that way.
Maryland DSCR Rates
DSCR pricing moves with the market and with the deal — leverage, DSCR strength, credit tier, and property type all price in. Skip the stale rate tables: see today’s DSCR rates, and how tiers shift pricing in the FICO-tier rate guide.
Is Maryland DSCR-Eligible?
Yes — Maryland is DSCR-eligible with Defy for investment (business-purpose) lending. See the current footprint on the state licensing status page.
Maryland DSCR Loan FAQs
What is the minimum DSCR in Maryland?
0.75. A ratio below 1.0 means the rent does not fully cover the payment, and pricing reflects that — but the deal can still close if the rest of the file supports it.
What credit score do I need?
A 640 minimum FICO. Stronger credit tiers unlock higher leverage and better pricing on the matrix.
Do I need tax returns or a job to qualify?
No. DSCR underwriting is documentation-light by design: no tax returns, no DTI calculation, no employment verification. The property’s rental income is the qualification.
Can I close in an LLC?
Yes — vesting in an LLC is standard practice for Maryland DSCR investors, and it is business-purpose lending throughout.
Can I do a cash-out refinance on my Maryland rental?
Yes, up to 80% LTV on single-family and up to 75% on 2–4 unit properties. The cash-out refinance guide walks through the mechanics.
Do you lend to foreign nationals buying Maryland rentals?
Yes, through the foreign national DSCR program — no U.S. credit history or Social Security number required.
Get a Maryland DSCR Quote
Bring the address and the rent. Defy underwrites Maryland DSCR files with no tax returns, no DTI calculation, and no employment verification — the property qualifies on its own cash flow, and most files close in 14 to 21 days. Start with the DSCR calculator, check current rates, review the full requirements, or talk to a Defy advisor about your deal. Dare to Defy.
