2025 Real Estate Wrap-Up: What Actually Mattered (and What to Do Next)
Big picture: the Fed cut rates three times this fall. Good news, right? Sort of. Investor loan pricing (like DSCR) doesn’t just follow the Fed. It follows the 10-year Treasury and mortgage-bond spreads. Those moved around all year—sometimes before the Fed meetings—so rate sheets didn’t always drop on cue.
The Fed controls an overnight rate.
Your DSCR quote leans on long-term market rates (10-year Treasury) plus spreads.
Translation: you can see headlines go down and rate sheets…not budge. Or even tick up.
Move to make: Price your deal now, stress it +0.25% to +0.50%, and lock when it still works.
Rates eased off last year’s peaks, but they bounced with every inflation or jobs print. Some weeks felt great; others didn’t. That’s normal in a choppy market.
Move to make: If you shelved a DSCR refi earlier, re-run it. Today’s sheet might clear your DSCR target.
Some neighborhoods cooled with new supply; others stayed tight and kept rents moving.
Move to make: Underwrite block by block. In soft spots, test flat/negative rent. In tight spots, be realistic—but don’t sandbag the deal to death.
Office pain stuck around (especially older buildings). Other asset types were mixed but doable with the right plan and reserves.
Move to make: If your exit needs lease-up, pad time and cash. Lenders want a believable path to DSCR.
Premiums stayed spicy and blew up more than a few closings.
Move to make: Get real quotes early. Don’t guess at T&I and pray.
Watch the 10-year, not just the Fed. That’s the steering wheel.
Size reserves to reality. Interest, T&I, TI/LC—tie them to milestones.
Buydown only if it pays back before your hold period ends.
Have two exits. Price both “sell” and “DSCR refi” before you swing a hammer.
DSCR (1–8 units) — asset-based, no tax returns, rates from 5.88%, Min DSCR 1.00, fixed/ARM, I/O up to 10 yrs.
Fix & Flip — 7.99%, no prepay, up to 90% LTC (experienced); Light Rehab for new investors (680+).
GUC — 7.99%, experience-tiered LTC up to 90%, milestone draws and schedule-based reserves.
How we work: same-day soft pre-quals, clean scenarios (with/without buydown, rolled-in costs where eligible), and straight talk from first call to close.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, profitable 2026. We’ll be here to run numbers, map draws, and keep deals alive when banks won’t.
Want to review a live deal or book a quick team session?
Reply or text me @ 718-635-2377!
Not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, and guidelines subject to change and approval.