DSCR Loans in North Carolina (NC)

North Carolina DSCR lenders

North Carolina sits between a court foreclosure and a pure trustee sale: the clerk of superior court must hold a hearing first. Ten DSCR lenders here say they lend in the state, and a $1,412 median rent puts it sixth of the eight states covered.

• Easy Street Capital: Statewide, including Charlotte and Raleigh (its North Carolina DSCR page)
• Upright: Available statewide (its North Carolina page)
• Kiavi: Has a North Carolina DSCR page; loans made by Figure Lending
• CoreVest: Has a North Carolina DSCR page, which shows DSCR (1.0x); its 30-year DSCR page says 0.80x

Easy Street Capital's North Carolina page names Charlotte and Raleigh. Kiavi has a North Carolina DSCR program page. CoreVest publishes a North Carolina DSCR page, and Upright lists DSCR rental loans as available statewide.

Ternus, Express Capital Financing, Lima One and LendingOne lend everywhere outside short exclusion lists that leave North Carolina in, New Silver lists it, and Griffin Funding covers all 50 states. RCN Capital and Groundfloor publish no state list.

The ratio on a North Carolina rent

North Carolina renters paid a median $1,412 a month in 2025 (Census ACS 2025, table B25064). Express Capital Financing requires 1x on its standard program (it also offers a no-DSCR option), so that rent covers a payment of up to $1,412; a 1.25x lender would cap it at $1,130.

At Express Capital's advertised 6.25% over 30 years, after an assumed $350 a month for taxes and insurance, the loan works out to about $172,400 at 1.00x or $126,600 at 1.25x. Kiavi's 0.8x minimum would let the same rent carry more.

With an assumed $350 a month for taxes and insurance, North Carolina's median rent supports these maximum loans at each lender that publishes a minimum ratio and a rate:

• New Silver: 0.75x minimum at its advertised 6.875% gives about $233,300
• Kiavi: 0.8x minimum at its advertised 6.375% gives about $226,800
• Upright: 0.9x minimum at its advertised 5.99% gives about $203,500
• Express Capital Financing: 1x minimum at its advertised 6.25% gives about $172,400 (it also offers a no-DSCR option)
• Lima One Capital: 1x minimum at its advertised 6.5% gives about $168,000

North Carolina prices, taxes and the median-home ratio

Full PITIA at the median home. Assume 20% down on the $288,900 median value, so a $231,120 loan at 6.25% (the starting rate Express Capital Financing advertises) over 30 years: $1,423 a month in principal and interest. Add the median property tax ($1,896 a year, $158 a month) and an assumed $1,200 a year for insurance, and PITIA is $1,681. Against the $1,321 median 3-bedroom rent the DSCR is 0.79. That is below Express Capital Financing's published 1x minimum. To reach 1.00x at that rent, the loan would have to fall to about $172,600, which means about $116,300 down (40.3% of the value).

North Carolina median rents are $1,164 for two bedrooms and $1,321 for three (B25031); a 2-bedroom costs barely more than a 1-bedroom ($1,155). The typical home dates from 1991 (B25035).

North Carolina rental market

33% of North Carolina's 4,539,531 occupied homes were renter-occupied in 2025 (table B25003). Rent rose 5.5% from $1,338, while statewide prices barely moved (+0.4% to 2026 Q2, FHFA). Greensboro-High Point gained +5.1%, Raleigh-Cary +2.3% and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia -0.1% (FHFA metro index).

North Carolina prices are up +41.5% over five years, ahead of Virginia (+37.1%), Tennessee (+38.4%) and Georgia (+38.9%) but behind South Carolina (+45%).

The clerk's hearing

Before a power-of-sale foreclosure in North Carolina, the clerk of superior court must find a valid debt, a default, the right to foreclose and proper notice (N.C.G.S. 45-21.16). The standard North Carolina instrument is a deed of trust (Form 3034). Source: N.C.G.S. 45-21.16.

North Carolina excise tax

North Carolina's excise tax on conveyances is $1 per $500, $600 on a $300,000 purchase, and the statute puts it on the seller. Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. 105-228.30.

On the $288,900 median North Carolina home the excise tax is $578, owed by the seller.

North Carolina caps on deposits and late fees

North Carolina caps deposits at 1 1/2 months' rent on a month-to-month tenancy and 2 months' rent on longer terms (G.S. 42-51), and the landlord must itemize and return the balance within 30 days (G.S. 42-52). Late fees are capped at $15 or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is greater, and only once rent is 5 days late (G.S. 42-46). A month-to-month tenancy ends on just 7 days' notice (G.S. 42-14).

What this means for a North Carolina DSCR deal. Low property taxes ($1,896 median) help, but a 19.6 price-to-rent ratio leaves the median home at 0.79, so a 1.0x lender like Express Capital needs about 40.3% down. The capped late fee and the 7-day month-to-month notice cut both ways for cash flow: fast turnover, little late-fee income.

Before you apply in North Carolina

• Confirm the seller is paying the excise tax in the contract, as the statute provides.
• Read the power-of-sale clause; the clerk's hearing applies to it.
• Compare a sub-1.00 lender if the rent is near the median.

General requirements, rate tables and rent rules for every lender: DSCR loans compared, DSCR loan rates, DSCR calculator. Short-term lenders: hard money lenders in North Carolina. Other states: Florida, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, California, Georgia, Illinois.