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Loan Coverage Ratio Calculator

The loan coverage ratio tells a lender whether your property generates enough income to comfortably make the mortgage payment. This calculator compares NOI to annual debt service against a target coverage ratio.

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commonly 1.20–1.25

Coverage ratio

1.43

NOI ÷ annual debt service

Underwriting status

Passes lender minimum

Max monthly payment at target

$4,533

what NOI will support

NOI cushion over target

$8,750

Annual debt service

$47,400

How the math works

Loan Coverage Ratio (often called DSCR for real estate) measures how comfortably property income covers the mortgage. A 1.25 ratio means NOI is 25% bigger than the mortgage payment — a typical lender minimum for stabilized commercial and investment properties.

Stricter lenders require 1.30–1.40 on thin-margin or risky properties. Short-term rentals and owner-occupant DSCR loans sometimes allow 1.00 or even no-ratio. Taxes and insurance are usually carved out for a strict P&I-only ratio; confirm with your lender.

How to Use

  1. Enter annual Net Operating Income (gross rent minus all operating expenses, before mortgage).
  2. Enter the monthly principal-and-interest payment.
  3. Set the lender's target coverage minimum (1.20–1.25 is typical; 1.30+ for riskier deals).
  4. Read your coverage ratio and whether it clears the target. See the max monthly payment the property would support at your ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as DSCR?

Yes — Debt Service Coverage Ratio is the standard name in commercial and DSCR loan underwriting. 'Loan coverage ratio' is a broader term that sometimes includes T&I, but is most often used interchangeably with DSCR.

What counts as NOI for this ratio?

Effective gross income (gross rent less vacancy) minus operating expenses: property tax, insurance, management, repairs, utilities paid by landlord, HOA. Exclude mortgage principal and interest, depreciation, and capex.

What's a good coverage ratio?

1.25 is the long-standing conventional commercial minimum. 1.40–1.50 is comfortable. Below 1.0 means the property can't cover its own debt — a lender would either deny the loan or require personal-income ratio qualification.

Do lenders include T&I in debt service?

Policies vary. Some strict lenders use PITIA (principal, interest, tax, insurance, association) in the denominator, producing a stricter ratio. Others use only P&I (like this calculator by default). Always confirm with your lender.

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