Florida Investment Property Loans
How lending actually works in Florida, including the local rules that change your loan.
Key terms
- Fix and flip
- Buy, renovate and resell
- DSCR rental
- Long term hold qualified on rent
- Bridge
- Fast acquisition ahead of permanent financing
- New construction
- Ground up builds
- Cash out refinance
- Releasing equity to redeploy
Florida is the most competitive investor lending market in the country and it has one variable that moves more deals than anything else: insurance. If you are underwriting a Florida rental using a national average insurance figure, your numbers are wrong and the correction is usually large.
Insurance is the deciding line item
Property insurance in coastal Florida has risen sharply and in some markets it is now the largest single component of the payment after principal and interest. Because insurance sits inside PITIA, it flows straight into the debt service coverage ratio.
A property that would comfortably clear a 1.25 coverage ratio elsewhere can fall below 1.00 in Florida on insurance alone. Get an actual quote for the specific address before you model the deal, not an estimate. Wind and flood coverage may also be separate policies, and both count.
Condo financing and association questions
Florida has a large condominium stock and structural reserve requirements introduced after recent legislation have made association financial health a live underwriting question. Special assessments can appear with little warning and they affect both the payment and the value.
If you are financing a condo, expect questions about the association reserves, any pending assessments and the percentage of units that are investor owned. These are not obstacles, but they add time, so start collecting association documents early.
Short term rentals and how they are qualified
Florida has a large short term rental market and municipal rules vary widely between counties and cities. Some programs qualify a short term rental on long term market rent rather than projected nightly revenue, which can change the coverage ratio substantially. Raise the intended use at the outset. Terms are on the DSCR rental loan page.
Loan programs available in Florida
We are most active in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, and we lend throughout the state. Loan sizes run from $100,000 to $25 million with approval decisions typically inside 72 hours.
Other state guides are on the where we lend page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you lend on investment property in Florida?
Yes. We place fix and flip, DSCR rental, bridge, new construction and cash out refinance financing throughout Florida including Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale.
How does Florida insurance affect a DSCR loan?
Insurance is part of the PITIA payment used to calculate the debt service coverage ratio. Florida premiums, particularly in coastal counties, can be high enough to move a property from qualifying to not qualifying. Always use an actual quote for the specific address.
Can you finance a Florida condo as an investment?
Yes, subject to association review. Expect questions about reserves, pending special assessments and the proportion of investor owned units. Gathering association documents early avoids delays.
Ready to fund your next deal?
Approval within 72 hours. Close in 5 to 10 business days.
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