Turning Your Property Into a Co-Living Opportunity and Accessing Your Equity

Turning Your Property Into a Co-Living Opportunity and Accessing Your Equity

Cydney GrayBusiness Member
Lender · AZ CA CO HI ID NM OR TN TX WA WY FL · Member since 2023 · 34 posts · 19 votes

If you currently own a rental property, converting it to a co-living model can be a powerful way to increase rental income while also unlocking equity.

Instead of leasing the entire home to one tenant, co-living allows you to rent individual bedrooms with shared common areas such as the kitchen, living room, and laundry. This approach often increases the total monthly rent compared to a traditional single lease.

Once the property is operating as a co-living rental, you may be able to refinance using a DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan and take cash out of the property. You can qualify the property using separate lease agreements for each room, rather than requiring a single lease for the entire property. The combined income from those leases can then be used to calculate the DSCR.

This structure allows the financing to reflect the true income potential of the property, which may help you qualify for a refinance while accessing equity to reinvest in additional real estate opportunities.

If you're thinking about converting a property to co-living or want to explore cash-out refinance options using DSCR financing, I'm happy to walk through the numbers and see what options may work for you.

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  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    5mo
    Quote from @Cydney Gray:

    If you currently own a rental property, converting it to a co-living model can be a powerful way to increase rental income while also unlocking equity.

    Instead of leasing the entire home to one tenant, co-living allows you to rent individual bedrooms with shared common areas such as the kitchen, living room, and laundry. This approach often increases the total monthly rent compared to a traditional single lease.

    Once the property is operating as a co-living rental, you may be able to refinance using a DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan and take cash out of the property. You can qualify the property using separate lease agreements for each room, rather than requiring a single lease for the entire property. The combined income from those leases can then be used to calculate the DSCR.

    This structure allows the financing to reflect the true income potential of the property, which may help you qualify for a refinance while accessing equity to reinvest in additional real estate opportunities.

    If you're thinking about converting a property to co-living or want to explore cash-out refinance options using DSCR financing, I'm happy to walk through the numbers and see what options may work for you.


    So, a DSCR lender will do a 1-4 unit property appraisal based on the income approach instead of the traditional comparable sales approach?

  • Cydney GrayBusiness Member
    OP
    Lender · AZ CA CO HI ID NM OR TN TX WA WY FL · Member since 2023 · 34 posts · 19 votes
    5mo

    Hey Drew! It's a little different than the way you're viewing it. This information is not regarding the approach that the Appraiser will/can us to determine the value of the property.
    This is specifically addressing a lenders ability to use multiple Lease Agreements as sources of proof of rents received, to be used in the DSCR calculation.

    • Drew SygitBusiness Member
      Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
      5mo
      Quote from @Cydney Gray:

      Hey Drew! It's a little different than the way you're viewing it. This information is not regarding the approach that the Appraiser will/can us to determine the value of the property.
      This is specifically addressing a lenders ability to use multiple Lease Agreements as sources of proof of rents received, to be used in the DSCR calculation.


      I actually fully understand what you are trying to communicate. I was trying to get you to review your message to see how it's a bit confusing:

      "increase rental income while also unlocking equity."

      "This structure allows the financing to reflect the true income potential of the property, which may help you qualify for a refinance while accessing equity to reinvest in additional real estate opportunities."

      What you are really proposing is that you have DSCR lending options that will recognize co-living lease income to meet the ratio requirement.

      Once the ratio threshold is met, "excess" rental income will NOT lead to a higher loan amount.

      Hope you find this feedback helpful:)

  • Cydney GrayBusiness Member
    OP
    Lender · AZ CA CO HI ID NM OR TN TX WA WY FL · Member since 2023 · 34 posts · 19 votes
    5mo

    Hi Drew! Thanks for letting me know that you understood it but that you were concerned that others wouldn't. I am hopeful that my comments with you will help other understand it better. Thanks!

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