50-Year Mortgages vs. Our 30-Year DSCR Loans: Lower Payment ≠ Lower Cost
There’s buzz about 50-year mortgages. Yes, stretching the term can trim the monthly payment—but it massively increases total interest and can make future refis harder. Here’s a clear comparison with our 30-year DSCR loans (rates from 5.75%) and why most investors still choose 30.
50-year: ~13% lower monthly vs. a 30-year (same rate)…
…but roughly ~86% more total interest over the life of the loan.
(Illustrations below assume the same 5.75% rate for apples-to-apples math; actual pricing varies.)
| Loan Amount | 30-yr @ 5.75% | 50-yr @ 5.75% | Monthly Δ | 30-yr Total Interest | 50-yr Total Interest | Extra Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $1,750.72 | $1,524.07 | −$226.65 (−12.9%) | $330,259 | $614,445 | +$284,186 |
| $400,000 | $2,334.29 | $2,032.10 | −$302.19 (−12.9%) | $440,345 | $819,260 | +$378,915 |
| $500,000 | $2,917.86 | $2,540.12 | −$377.74 (−12.9%) | $550,431 | $1,024,075 | +$473,644 |
Bottom line: If your goal is long-term wealth, the 30-year usually wins—strong DSCR, faster principal paydown, and far less interest drag.
Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac don’t buy 50-year mortgages. Freddie publicly markets 15-, 20-, and 30-year fixed-rate offerings—no 50-year. That means a 50-year loan is typically portfolio or private-label—fewer takeout options later, and refis may come at worse pricing/fees. Freddie Mac
Policy chatter isn’t policy. There’s fresh debate about potentially supporting 50-year loans, but that’s not in place today—so secondary-market liquidity is limited. Translation: harder refis if the only buyers are niche lenders holding loans on balance sheet. Politico
Rates from 5.75% with Interest-Only (up to 10 years) and ARM options if you want early-years payment relief.
Asset-based underwriting: sized to rents vs. PITIA—no tax returns for DSCR.
Min DSCR 1.00 (1.15+ recommended for best pricing/cushion).
Permanent buydown available: if you’ll hold past break-even, points can raise DSCR and cut the payment without adding 20 extra years of interest.
Ask us for a same-day side-by-side:
30-yr fixed @ 5.75%
30-yr with I/O (up to 10 years)
Buydown scenario with break-even months
We’ll also map refi/cash-out paths and (where eligible) roll-in costs, so you keep cash on hand and preserve future refi options.
Ready for a DSCR scenario? Send the address, rents (or market), taxes/ins/HOA, target LTV, and your hold period—we’ll return payment + DSCR options that build equity faster and keep your exit routes open.
Not a commitment to lend. Rates/terms/guidelines subject to change and approval. Secondary-market eligibility and refi availability may change with future policy actions.