Can You Use Airbnb Income to Qualify for a Mortgage?
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One of the most common questions short term rental investors ask is:

Can I use Airbnb income to qualify for a mortgage?

The answer is: It depends on the type of loan.

Not all mortgage programs treat short term rental income the same way. Choosing the wrong loan structure can prevent you from qualifying — even if the property cash flows.

Let’s break it down clearly.

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TL;DR

• Conventional loans usually require Airbnb income to be documented on tax returns
• DSCR loans qualify based on property rental income
• Hybrid STR loans combine personal income and Airbnb income
• The right loan depends on your strategy
  
  
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1. Using Airbnb Income With a Conventional Loan

Conventional loans follow traditional underwriting guidelines.

That means:

• Income must be documented
• Debt to income ratio (DTI) is calculated
• Airbnb income typically must appear on tax returns (Schedule E) to count

If you are buying your first short term rental, projected Airbnb income usually cannot be used to qualify.

This is why many first time STR investors struggle with conventional financing.

Key Limitation

If the property is newly purchased and has no rental history, conventional lenders typically cannot use projected Airbnb income for qualification.

You must qualify based on your personal income.



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2. Using Airbnb Income With a DSCR Loan

DSCR stands for Debt Service Coverage Ratio.

Instead of qualifying based on your personal income, DSCR loans qualify based on the property’s income.

The lender looks at:

• Expected rental income
• Market rent analysis
• Short term rental projections
• Airbnb history (if available)

If the property’s income covers the mortgage payment at the required ratio, you may qualify — even without strong W2 income.

This is why DSCR loans are popular for Airbnb investors.

Major Advantage

You can qualify based on the property’s performance instead of your personal DTI.

This makes scaling multiple short term rentals much easier.



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3. Using Airbnb Income With a Hybrid STR Loan

Hybrid STR loans combine elements of conventional and DSCR underwriting.

These programs may:

• Count personal income
• Count Airbnb income
• Require income documentation
• Still review DTI

This can be powerful for investors who:

• Have strong income
• Already operate short term rentals
• Need more approval flexibility

Some hybrid programs also allow lower down payments than traditional investment loans.



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What If I Am Buying My First Airbnb?

If you are buying your first short term rental and do not yet have rental history:

• Conventional loan → You must qualify using your personal income
• DSCR loan → May allow projected STR income
• Hybrid loan → May allow combined income

The structure matters before you go under contract.



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What Loan Is Best If I Need Airbnb Income to Qualify?

If you need Airbnb income to qualify, DSCR or Hybrid STR loans are usually the better option.

Conventional loans are not designed around projected short term rental income.


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Final Thoughts

Yes, you can use Airbnb income to qualify for a mortgage — but only with the right loan program.

The biggest mistake investors make is assuming all lenders treat short term rental income the same way.

They do not.

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At Total Quality Lending, we specialize in structuring loans specifically for short term rental investors nationwide.

If you are planning to purchase an Airbnb and need the income to help you qualify, schedule a strategy call with our team.

The structure matters more than the rate.

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