Recurring expenses are always a sticking point, especially when it comes to cleaning or landscaping. I’ve had underwriters question a $75 monthly cleaning bill like it was some sort of red flag, but then breeze right past a $2,000 HVAC repair. Ever notice they get especially picky if the vendor name sounds generic? I’ve started attaching contracts and payment histories up front, but it doesn’t always stop the questions. Do you ever get asked for proof of service, like photos or logs? That’s happened to me a couple times and honestly felt like overkill.
Title: Getting through the DSCR loan maze: My step-by-step and a question
Ever notice they get especially picky if the vendor name sounds generic?
This cracked me up because I swear, if my cleaner was named “Sparkle & Shine LLC” instead of just “Maria’s Cleaning,” I’d get half as many questions. I once had an underwriter ask if “Lawn Pro” was a real business or just me mowing the grass and paying myself. Had to dig up a photo of the crew actually weed-whacking out front. Felt like I was submitting evidence for a crime scene.
Here’s my unofficial process now:
1. Attach every invoice, contract, and payment receipt—yes, even for that $60 window wash.
2. If the vendor’s name is “Bob’s Services” or something equally vague, I add a note: “Bob is a real guy, here’s his business card.”
3. Keep a folder of random photos—grass cut, trash bins out, you name it—just in case someone wants “proof of life.”
Still, sometimes they’ll breeze past a $3k roof patch but want to see three months of cleaning logs. Go figure. Maybe next time I’ll just rename everyone “HVAC Solutions Inc.” and see if that helps...
Still, sometimes they’ll breeze past a $3k roof patch but want to see three months of cleaning logs. Go figure.
That’s the part that always gets me—like, they’ll barely blink at a big-ticket repair but suddenly the $75 landscaping invoice is under a microscope. I get that they’re trying to prevent fraud, but it feels like the scrutiny is totally random. Have you ever had them question payments to a legit company just because the check memo was too vague? I’ve started writing out full descriptions just to avoid the back-and-forth. Curious if anyone’s found a way to streamline this or if it’s just part of the DSCR circus...
It’s funny, I actually kind of get why they nitpick the small stuff sometimes. Like,
The big repairs are usually obvious—new roof, new HVAC, whatever—but the little recurring things could add up or hide weird charges if no one’s paying attention. I agree it feels random, but I’ve seen some folks try to sneak in personal expenses on those smaller invoices, so maybe that’s what’s driving it. Still a headache either way...“they’ll barely blink at a big-ticket repair but suddenly the $75 landscaping invoice is under a microscope.”
Like, The big repairs are usually obvious—new roof, new HVAC, whatever—but the little recurring things could add up or hide weird charges if no one’s paying attention.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing. The $75 invoice gets more attention than the $7,500 roof job sometimes. I think it’s partly because, like you said, “the little recurring things could add up or hide weird charges if no one’s paying attention.” In my experience:
- Small, frequent expenses are easier to fudge or misclassify.
- Lenders and underwriters want to see consistency in operating costs, so they’ll flag anything that looks off.
- I’ve seen property managers try to sneak in their own lawn service or cleaning fees under generic line items—adds up over time.
It’s tedious, but I get why they do it. Still, it’d be nice if they applied the same scrutiny to the big stuff, just for consistency’s sake.