Financing
How should I pay for this property?
Every financing decision is a trade between certainty and leverage. Cash removes risk and interest; financing preserves capital and, when the property performs, magnifies the return on the money you did put in.
Each question below has a direct answer and the calculator that compares the structures. Property Intelligence™ then runs the comparison against the actual carrying costs of a real property.
- What this is
- The financing decision ecosystem — which structure to use, what each one costs over time, and what a lender will require.
- Who it is for
- Buyers choosing between cash and a loan, investors comparing loan products, and anyone deciding how much to put down.
- The problem
- Financing is usually chosen on the monthly payment alone. The payment is the least informative number: the rate, the term, the mortgage insurance, the closing costs and the opportunity cost of the down payment decide what the loan actually costs you.
- What happens next
- Compare structures here, then let Property Intelligence™ apply them to the real price, taxes and insurance of one specific address.
Should I pay cash or finance?
Pay cash when certainty, speed or a competitive offer matters more than return, and when the money has no better use. Finance when the property's return exceeds the cost of the debt and you want to keep reserves. Compare total cost over the years you will actually hold it, not the monthly payment.
Understand the method
Run the numbers
For one specific address
Property Intelligence runs both structures against the property's real taxes, insurance and expected rent, and states which one wins under conservative assumptions.
Build Property Intelligence™ →Conventional or FHA?
Conventional loans cost less over time and drop mortgage insurance once you reach twenty percent equity. FHA accepts lower credit scores and smaller down payments but carries mortgage insurance for the life of most loans. The right answer depends on your down payment and credit, not on the rate alone.
Understand the method
Run the numbers
For one specific address
The financing comparison in Property Intelligence prices both against the same property, including the insurance and tax figures on record.
Build Property Intelligence™ →How do investors finance without personal income?
A DSCR loan qualifies on the property's debt service coverage ratio — net operating income divided by annual debt service — rather than on your tax returns. Most lenders want 1.20 or better, and price the loan on how far above 1.00 you are.
Understand the method
Run the numbers
For one specific address
Property Intelligence reports the coverage ratio using verified expenses for the address, so there are no surprises at underwriting.
Build Property Intelligence™ →How much should I put down?
Enough to avoid mortgage insurance if you can reach it without draining reserves, and no more than that if the capital earns more elsewhere. Always keep a reserve: the down payment that leaves nothing behind is the one that turns a repair into a crisis.
Understand the method
Run the numbers
For one specific address
The brief shows what each down payment level does to the monthly total and to the cash you keep.
Build Property Intelligence™ →Related decisions
Last reviewed August 3, 2026. Educational information, not financial or legal advice.