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colorful Victorian 'Painted Lady' row house with ornate bay windows in San Francisco, California
Night-capped · 90/yr legality checked 2026-05-04

Will Your Airbnb Qualify for a DSCR Loan in San Francisco, CA?

In San Francisco, the city caps rented nights at 90/yr, so we adjust projected revenue down before computing DSCR. A typical 3-bedroom projects around $95,000/yr from comparable listings, and 9 STR lenders will qualify the loan on that projection with no rental history — run your exact address to see the cap-adjusted DSCR and which lenders’ floors you clear.

Strict 90-night unhosted cap and primary-residence rules gut investor STR economics.

STR Feasibility EngineRevenue × legality × DSCR × lenders

We check the city’s current STR ordinance — caps, permits, primary-residence rules — and adjust revenue for it.

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Free · No credit pull · Legality included · Not a call center

Revenue band

Typical STR revenue in San Francisco

Annual gross revenue by bedroom count — median of 28 comparable listings within 0.75 mi, trailing 12 mo (AirROI + Rabbu comps, as of 2026-05-04).

BedroomsP25MedianP75
1 BR$41,000$52,500$64,000
2 BR$57,500$74,000$90,500
3 BR$74,000$95,000$116,000
4 BR$95,000$121,500$148,000
5 BR$115,000$147,500$180,000

The ordinance

Is short-term rental legal in San Francisco?

San Francisco limits un-hosted (whole-unit) short-term rentals to 90 nights per year and requires the operator to be a permanent resident registered with the city.

Applying the 90-of-250-night cap haircuts projected revenue to roughly a third of an uncapped year — usually enough to push an investor DSCR below 1.0.

This is a market where the honest answer is often “it doesn’t pencil as a pure STR”; a mid-term-rental pivot is the realistic path.

Source: SF Office of Short-Term Rentals / Admin Code Ch. 41A · last checked 2026-05-04.

Worked example · $810,000 3BR, 25% down

Cap-adjusted: $95,000 → $34,200/yr (36% of an uncapped year).

0.55×cap-adjusted STR DSCR
below floor

Illustrative; run your exact address and price above for your numbers.

Living rates

Today’s STR DSCR rate range

STR-overlay rates (70–75% LTV), updated 2026-06-13. Estimates; not a commitment to lend.

760+ FICO
7.7%
+0.6% STR overlay
740-759 FICO
7.85%
+0.6% STR overlay
720-739 FICO
8.15%
+0.6% STR overlay
700-719 FICO
8.45%
+0.6% STR overlay
See the full living rates table →

FAQ

San Francisco STR financing questions

Is short-term rental legal in San Francisco?
San Francisco caps un-hosted short-term rentals at 90 nights per year, requires the host to be a permanent resident, and mandates registration. The 90-night cap deeply haircuts investor revenue. (Source: SF Office of Short-Term Rentals / Admin Code Ch. 41A, as of 2026-05-04.) Always confirm current rules with the jurisdiction before purchasing.
How much does an Airbnb make in San Francisco?
A typical 3-bedroom projects around $95,000/yr from 28 comparable listings within 0.75 mi, trailing 12 months (AirROI + Rabbu comps). Revenue scales with bedroom count and amenities; lenders verify via Form 1007 or operating statements.
Does San Francisco’s 90-night cap kill my DSCR?
Not automatically, but it haircuts revenue. We scale projected revenue to the capped share of an uncapped year (90/250 nights) before computing DSCR. Sometimes it still clears a lender floor; sometimes a mid-term-rental pivot is the answer.
Can I get a DSCR loan on an Airbnb with no rental history?
Yes. 9 of the 10 STR lenders we track qualify the loan on a market revenue projection (AirDNA/Rabbu) or an appraiser’s Form 1007 short-term-rent schedule, so no operating history is required for many programs.
What down payment and LTV do STR DSCR loans require?
Most STR DSCR programs want 25–30% down (70–75% LTV) — slightly more than a long-term-rental DSCR loan, reflecting the variability of nightly income. A stronger cap-adjusted DSCR and credit band can unlock the higher-LTV tier.
What DSCR do STR lenders require?
Most set a floor around 1.0 on the cap-adjusted DSCR (revenue ÷ PITIA). Some offer no-ratio or sub-1.0 STR programs at a premium for thinner deals. The engine shows your ratio against each lender’s specific floor.
Do lenders trust AirDNA or Rabbu revenue numbers?
Some STR-specialist lenders accept a data projection (AirDNA/Rabbu) directly; others want the same revenue expressed through an appraiser’s Form 1007. Either way, the comp count, radius, and trailing-12-month window behind the figure determine how defensible it is.
How does STR insurance affect my DSCR?
STR carriers price coverage materially higher than a standard landlord policy, so we model insurance higher than a long-term rental inside PITIA. That extra cost is a real DSCR haircut most pro-formas miss — the engine bakes it in.

Related

San Francisco STR laws Qualify with no history STR DSCR requirements

Legality: Short-term-rental rules change frequently and vary by city, county, and HOA. Legality shown reflects publicly available sources as of the date displayed; it is not legal advice or a permitting determination. Confirm current rules, permits, and HOA/condo restrictions with the local jurisdiction before purchasing.

Revenue: Projected revenue is an estimate from comparable listings and is not a forecast of your results. Lenders independently verify income, typically via appraisal (Form 1007/1008) or 12-month statements. This is not a loan decision or offer.

Run your San Francisco address. Get the honest verdict.

Free · No credit pull · Legality included · Not a call center.

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