Chasing Financial Freedom

You don’t need perfect W‑2s or flawless tax returns to build a rental portfolio—but you do need to understand how DSCR loans really work. In this episode of Chasing Financial Freedom, Ryan DeMent explains what DSCR is, why it’s a game-changer for self‑employed and write‑off‑heavy investors, and how to use three key strategies—better deal structure, CEO‑level NOI management, and BRRRR/portfolio refinancing—to protect cash flow, avoid prepayment traps, and scale beyond what your local bank will allow. If you’re tired of hearing “no” from conventional lenders, this playbook will show you how to analyze and structure your next DSCR deal like a pro.

Most real estate investors use DSCR loans, but very few know how to tweak them to actually protect cash flow and avoid painful surprises. In this episode of Chasing Financial Freedom, Ryan DeMent breaks down 3 secret DSCR loan hacks: underwriting deals with conservative rents so your DSCR holds up when the market shifts, using structure (LTV, DSCR bands, reserves) to improve pricing instead of only chasing rate, and matching prepayment penalties to your real exit plan so you’re not writing a massive check when you sell or refi. If you’re scaling a rental portfolio with DSCR loans, this conversation will change how you analyze, structure, and lock your next deal.

When rents cool off, and your DSCR loan no longer pencils the way it did on paper, what’s your best move: conventional, DSCR, or something else? In this episode of Chasing Financial Freedom, Ryan DeMent breaks down the good, bad, and ugly of conventional vs. DSCR loans, how falling rents and tighter DSCR ratios are exposing weak deals, and what smart investors are doing now with reserves, prepayment penalties, and rent underwriting so they can keep scaling without blowing up their portfolio.

Many investors think a DSCR loan is a DSCR loan—until overlays, reserves, and prepayment penalties blow up their deal. In this episode of Chasing Financial Freedom, Ryan DeMent breaks down the key differences between local bank “DSCR-style” portfolio loans and true non-QM DSCR lenders, how overlays work in the real world (housing history, VOR, first-time investors), and what you must know about reserves and long-lasting prepayment penalties before you sign. If you use DSCR loans to scale your rental portfolio, this conversation will help you avoid costly surprises and choose the right lender structure for your strategy.

Buying an "as-is" property with a DSCR loan? Skipping this step doesn't just cost you $40k in repairs—it can disqualify you from Section 8 and kill your cash flow.
In this episode, I break down a real-life nightmare scenario where an investor skipped the inspection on an off-market deal, only to face huge repair bills to meet lender standards. We discuss why DSCR lenders reject "C5" properties, the hidden trap of "double closing costs" with bridge loans, and why a 1.0 DSCR ratio actually means you're losing money.
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