5-8 unit financing.
One building. The right review.
Move beyond the four-unit boundary with a clear review of the building, its income and your plan. Stonehaven arranges financing through lenders nationwide; availability varies by state.
Can a 5-8 unit property use a DSCR loan?
Potentially, through a specialist program that accepts the building. A five-, six-, seven- or eight-unit property may also fit commercial multifamily financing. Unit count alone does not select the lender or prove eligibility. Stonehaven is a mortgage brokerage: we review the property and sponsor, then compare available lender paths for a purchase, refinance or improvement plan.
Start with the legal unit count, current rent roll, requested financing and property condition. A six-unit building with stable leases needs a different review from the same building with three vacant units and unfinished work.
What changes after four units?
Fannie Mae's single-family property eligibility guidance covers one to four dwelling units. Its multifamily Small Mortgage Loan term sheet describes properties with five or more units, subject to its other requirements. Those are program boundaries, not a promise that every five-unit building qualifies for agency financing.
A local assessor's description, a seller's listing and the lender's unit classification can differ. Verify permitted units, leases, zoning and any commercial space. A building with apartments above a shop also needs a mixed-use financing review; do not count the storefront as another apartment.
Compare the underwriting paths
- Specialist DSCR: review the lender's permitted unit count, qualifying-rent formula, vacancy treatment and payment calculation. A program built for one to four units should not be assumed to accept more.
- Commercial multifamily: review operating statements and net operating income (NOI), alongside value, debt service, reserves, property condition and sponsor experience.
- Bridge or renovation financing: consider the work, draw schedule and lease-up period before assuming a permanent loan will fit. The proposed refinance or sale must support the exit.
Ask how guaranties, prepayment provisions, maturity and required liquidity differ between proposals. A property-income review does not automatically remove sponsor documentation or personal obligations.
Organize the building before requesting terms
- Income: a dated rent roll, unit-by-unit leases, occupancy, concessions and rent receipts where requested.
- Expenses: recent operating statements, property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance and management costs.
- Transaction: contract or ownership basis, current payoff, requested loan, cash available and intended closing date.
- Property and sponsor: legal unit count, renovation scope, condition, ownership entity and relevant ownership or management experience.
Share basic figures through the inquiry form. We can arrange a secure next step for leases, statements and private records. Do not upload tenant details or account information to a public form.
Use the calculator without confusing its assumptions with approval
The DSCR program calculator includes a 5-8 unit model. Its current assumptions count vacant units at 90% of market rent and flag vacancy above 35% on a refinance. These are the site's modeled rules, not universal lender standards or a confirmed offer for your building. The lender must confirm the applicable program and rent evidence.
Hypothetical commercial comparison: six occupied units at $1,500 monthly rent produce $108,000 annual gross rent. Subtract an assumed $5,400 vacancy allowance and $40,000 operating expenses to get $62,600 NOI. Against $50,000 annual debt service, that is 1.252x DSCR. The expense and debt-service figures are assumptions, not quoted terms.
A gross-rent calculation and an NOI calculation use different inputs. Keep them separate, and read the calculation methodology before comparing results.
Match the financing to the next stage
For a leased building you want to hold, compare maturity and repayment structure with the expected ownership period. For renovations or lease-up, allow for carrying costs and a refinance that may support less debt than planned. See commercial bridge financing for that transition.
Planning a purchase? Our multifamily acquisition guide connects the purchase budget to lender review. For broader apartment-property questions, start with multifamily financing.
Review your 5-8 unit building
Send the property state, unit count, purchase price or payoff, current rents, requested financing and timing. We follow up by text to identify the next review step.
Sources and editorial standards
Primary sources explain program boundaries and underwriting concepts. They do not establish that a particular lender will approve this property. Calculator references describe the site model, not an agency standard.
- Fannie Mae: General Property Eligibility
- Fannie Mae: Small Mortgage Loan Program Term Sheet
- OCC: Commercial Real Estate Lending handbook
- Stonehaven: DSCR program calculator and its stated assumptions
Updated September 20, 2026. Editorial standards · Meet the team
Prepare the next decision
For a Charlotte property, the Charlotte five-to-eight-unit DSCR guide connects legal unit count and property-record review with two calculation methods: rent by unit and net operating income. Check the property documents before applying calculator assumptions.