The down payment gets all the attention, but closing costs are where Florida DSCR deals get won or lost on the numbers. Underestimate them and your cash-to-close balloons on settlement day. Here's a clear, investor-focused breakdown of what actually shows up on a Florida DSCR closing statement in 2026 — including the Florida-specific taxes out-of-state buyers always forget.
The four buckets of DSCR closing costs
Every DSCR closing statement sorts into four groups. Understanding them makes the total far less mysterious.
| Bucket | Typical line items |
|---|---|
| Lender fees | Origination, underwriting, processing, points (if any) |
| Third-party services | Appraisal (often with a rent schedule), title insurance, settlement/closing, recording |
| Florida taxes | Documentary stamp tax, intangible tax on the mortgage |
| Prepaids & escrows | Property insurance, property taxes, prepaid interest |
1. Lender fees
These are what the lender charges to originate and underwrite the DSCR loan. Because DSCR loans qualify on the property's cash flow rather than your personal income, underwriting focuses on the appraisal and the rent analysis. Points may or may not apply depending on how you structure pricing. We never quote specific rates or points online — ask Joe for today's number.
2. Third-party services
The appraisal is especially important on DSCR loans because it usually includes a market rent schedule (a Form 1007) that helps establish the property's DSCR ratio. You'll also pay for title insurance, the settlement agent, and county recording. In Florida, title and settlement practices vary by region, so your exact costs depend on the county and closing agent.
3. Florida-specific taxes (the ones investors forget)
This is the bucket that surprises out-of-state investors. Florida imposes:
- Documentary stamp tax on the promissory note, calculated on the loan amount.
- Intangible tax on the mortgage, also based on the loan amount.
Both are collected at closing and are unavoidable on Florida mortgages. On a larger investment loan, these taxes add up quickly, so build them into your model from the start.
4. Prepaids and escrows
Prepaids aren't really "costs" in the fee sense — they're future expenses you fund early. Expect prepaid property insurance (critical and often pricey in coastal Florida), a property tax escrow deposit, and prepaid interest from closing to month-end. Florida's insurance market makes the insurance line a serious planning item for investors, especially near the coast.
Don't forget reserves
Separate from closing costs, some DSCR programs require documented reserves; the amount and eligible assets are program-specific. Reserves aren't paid to anyone; they're documented funds you keep. Requirements typically increase for cash-out refinances, portfolios with multiple financed properties, and short-term rental strategies.
How to budget with confidence
The best way to avoid a closing-day surprise is a line-item estimate before you go under contract. A knowledgeable investor lender will map every bucket — lender fees, third-party costs, Florida taxes, prepaids, and required reserves — against your specific property and strategy. That's the difference between a deal that pencils and one that stalls at the closing table.
Keep learning: see our guides on DSCR loan requirements in Florida, DSCR down payment tiers, and DSCR reserve requirements. For neutral background, see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Florida Department of Revenue on documentary stamp and intangible taxes.
Get a line-item DSCR estimate
Know your true cash-to-close before you go under contract.
Run My DSCR →Joe Pistone & Team · CrossCountry Mortgage · NMLS# 2087918 · Equal Housing Opportunity · Educational only — not a commitment to lend