A DSCR lender looks at one thing on a Massachusetts rental: whether the rent covers the full payment. A single-family rental priced near $555,000 in Massachusetts typically rents for about $2,500 a month. With 25% down at 6.875%, the payment including Massachusetts's 1.00% property tax and insurance comes to $3,347, a lender's ratio of 0.75. The tool below is preloaded with that deal.
Massachusetts rental numbers at a glance
| Typical home value | $655,000 |
|---|---|
| Example rental price85% of the statewide typical home value | $555,000 |
| Example rent1.35× the $1,848 statewide median, which includes apartments | $2,500 |
| Gross rent yieldA year's rent ÷ price | 5.4% |
| Effective property tax rate$463 a month, 14% of PITIA | 1.00% |
| Typical insurance | $1,800 |
Home values: Zillow, September 2026. Income, rent, and property tax: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2024. Insurance is an estimate. Sources · How every state compares
A Massachusetts rental through a DSCR lender
| Loan (75% of $555,000) | $416,250 |
|---|---|
| Principal & interest at 6.875% | $2,734 |
| Taxes, insurance, and dues | $613 |
| PITIA | $3,347 |
| Monthly rent | $2,500 |
| DSCR, lender method (rent ÷ PITIA)Headline result | 0.75 |
| DSCR, NOI methodAfter 5% vacancy and 15% operating costs | 0.51 |
| Rent needed for 1.25 | $4,184 |
| Cash to close | $155,400 |
| Cash flow after vacancy and upkeepHeadline result | -$1,347 |
Massachusetts costs that move the ratio
Property taxes in Massachusetts
Towns vote their own residential tax rates and Proposition 2½ caps annual growth in the total residential levy, so rates creep up slowly but compound over time. At 1.00%, taxes make up 14% of the example PITIA, and every dollar of escrow counts against the ratio as surely as the loan payment. Investment properties rarely qualify for homestead relief.
Insurance and hazard in Massachusetts
Landlord policies here run about $1,800 a year. Older housing stock and winter freeze risk drive claims here — burst pipes and ice dams are common — and shoreline properties frequently need separate wind or flood endorsements. DSCR lenders escrow the premium, so a quote that comes in high can push a borderline deal under the minimum.
Landlord rules in Massachusetts
No statewide rent control, but Boston adopted a rent stabilization ordinance in 2023 and Chapter 93A imposes broad duties on landlords statewide. Lenders count the lower of the lease and the appraiser's market rent, so rent you can't support with comparables won't help the ratio.
How to test a Massachusetts rental for a DSCR loan
- Enter the actual price and the rate on your DSCR quote; pricing varies with the ratio, loan-to-value, and credit score.
- Use the lower of the signed lease and market rent from comparable Massachusetts rentals, the way the appraiser's rent schedule will.
- Replace the statewide 1.00% tax rate with the parcel's actual bill, and the insurance figure with a landlord quote.
- Choose your lender's method and minimum; switch to the NOI method if the loan is commercial or portfolio-held.
- If the ratio falls short, use the grid under the tool to find the down payment and rate that clear it.
Methodology
The lender method divides gross monthly rent by PITIA: principal and interest plus monthly taxes, insurance, and dues. The NOI method divides rent after vacancy and operating costs, less taxes, insurance, and dues, by principal and interest alone. Rent needed and the largest loan solve the same equations for rent and for loan size at each minimum ratio.
Massachusetts figures start from sourced statewide data (listed under Sources): Zillow's typical home value and Census rent and property tax, scaled to a typical single-family rental. Insurance is an estimate. DSCR programs differ by lender; confirm the method, minimum, and loan-to-value cap with yours.
Sources
- Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index (all homes, mid tier, seasonally adjusted), September 2026.
- Median household income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B19013, 2024.
- Median gross rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25064, 2024.
- Effective property tax rate: Median real estate taxes paid (B25103) ÷ median home value (B25077), Census ACS 1-year, the Tax Foundation's method, 2024.
- Homeowners insurance: Keystone estimate of a typical annual premium. Replace it with a quote for the address, 2026.
Read the full methodology, worked example, and caveats in the national DSCR Loan Calculator guide.
Massachusetts FAQ
- Can you get a DSCR loan in Massachusetts?
- Yes. DSCR loans are offered by national non-QM lenders in most states, Massachusetts included, and typically finance one- to four-unit rentals held personally or in an LLC. Confirm the lender is licensed for Massachusetts investment-property loans and ask about prepayment penalties, which are common.
- How much rent do I need for a DSCR loan in Massachusetts?
- On the example $555,000 rental with 25% down, rent must at least equal the $3,347 PITIA for a 1.00 ratio, and reach about $4,184 for 1.25. Massachusetts property tax and insurance are part of that bar.
- Do Massachusetts property taxes hurt the DSCR?
- They count in full. At 1.00%, taxes add $463 a month to the example payment, 14% of PITIA. That is near the national middle.
- Do Massachusetts rentals cash-flow with a DSCR loan?
- At the example numbers, the rental loses about $1,347 a month after 5% vacancy and 15% for maintenance and management, a -10.4% cash-on-cash return. A deal can satisfy the lender and still lose money, so read the cash-flow figure, not just the ratio.
Other state editions
Every state gets its own edition of the DSCR Loan Calculator, preloaded with that market's typical values, tax rates, and insurance costs: