How long after a bankruptcy can you get a DSCR loan?

Most DSCR lenders want two to four years from the discharge of a Chapter 7, and will look at a Chapter 13 case by case. Some non-QM lenders go shorter, even one to two years, in exchange for a larger down payment and a higher rate. The clock runs from the discharge date, not the filing date.

How long after a foreclosure can you get a DSCR loan?

Seasoning after a foreclosure or short sale typically runs three to seven years depending on the lender, with the more flexible DSCR lenders at the short end and pricing the added risk into the rate and the down payment.

Qualifying

DSCR Loans After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure (Seasoning Rules)

A past bankruptcy or foreclosure does not end your investing, but it starts a clock. DSCR lenders set a seasoning period, and some shorten it for a larger down payment and a higher rate. Here is the map.

By Owen Brandt, Research Editor. Updated June 13, 2026.

A bankruptcy, foreclosure, or short sale in your past does not disqualify you from a DSCR loan. Because DSCR loans qualify on the property's cash flow rather than your income, they are often more forgiving than conventional financing. What a derogatory event does is start a seasoning clock and raise the price until enough time has passed.

Typical seasoning periods

Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Most lenders want two to four years from the discharge date. The discharge, not the filing, starts the clock.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Reviewed case by case, often measured from the discharge or from a period of on-time plan payments.
Foreclosure or short sale. Commonly three to seven years, with flexible DSCR lenders at the short end.

These are ranges, not rules. Each lender sets its own seasoning, which is exactly why shopping matters more after a derogatory event than at any other time.

How some lenders shorten the wait

A subset of non-QM and DSCR lenders will lend sooner after a major credit event in exchange for two things: a larger down payment, often five to ten points more, and a higher rate. They are pricing the added risk rather than refusing the file. If you need to move before the standard seasoning is up, that is the trade you are negotiating.

What lenders look at besides the calendar

Time since the event. The single biggest factor, measured from the discharge or completion date.
Re-established credit. Clean, on-time payments since the event carry real weight. See credit score requirements.
Reserves. More months of payments in the bank reassure a lender on a recovering file. See reserve requirements.
A strong ratio. A property that cash flows well offsets a thinner borrower profile.

Your next step

Find your discharge or completion date, count the months, and check your standing with the pre-qualifier. If a lender declines on seasoning, read why a DSCR loan gets denied for the alternatives.