Your deal might be SBA-eligible—but is it lender-approved?

lender profile

June 02, 2025

by a lender from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in United States

The SBA minimum DSCR (debt service coverage ratio) is 1.15x—but that doesn’t mean lenders will sign off at that threshold. Here’s what we see in the market: • Most SBA lenders look for 1.25x–1.35x as a realistic DSCR for approval • Anything under 1.2x typically triggers further scrutiny—or a rejected term sheet • Add-backs must be clearly documented and defensible to support your DSCR math • “Breakeven” deals rarely get financing, even if technically compliant We help buyers validate their DSCR calculations and assess whether a deal will fly with lenders before they commit. Need help running the numbers on a deal you're considering? https://calendly.com/alan-pioneercap
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Reply by a searcher
from Harvard University in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
This aligns with what we've been seeing on the ground.
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Reply by a lender
from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in United States
Thanks, Chris—good to hear that alignment from your side as well. We’re seeing more and more lenders tighten their underwriting lens around DSCR, especially in deals with heavy add-backs. Always happy to connect if you’re seeing anything interesting in your pipeline too.
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