Myrtle Beach DSCR Loans: Financing the Grand Strand STR Market
Program and regulatory figures verified July 24, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Myrtle Beach is the state's short-term-rental engine, but the honest 2026 read is a cooling, maturing market rather than a boom. That framing changes which deals pencil, and we run the real numbers.
Can I get a DSCR loan in Myrtle Beach?
Yes: 1–4 unit rentals across the Grand Strand, from Myrtle Beach proper to North Myrtle Beach, Surfside, and the Horry County stretches between. The loan qualifies on the property's rent against its full payment; the mechanics live in the South Carolina DSCR guide. For a short-term rental, the income can come from 12 months of platform statements or, with no history, the appraiser's market rent or a projection with a haircut: how STR income is counted.
The Grand Strand STR numbers (dated, and cooling)
Here is the part the hype skips. By AirDNA's mid-2026 data, the average active Myrtle Beach STR earned about $26,100 in trailing-twelve-month revenue at 53% occupancy and a $280 average daily rate. Year over year (June 2025 to June 2026), revenue slipped 2.3% and occupancy softened while ADR climbed 8.4%, with active listings down as the market matures. This is a stabilizing STR market, not a runaway one, and underwriting it that way protects you. We qualify conservatively, often on the property's long-term-rent fallback, so the deal survives a soft season.
Who owns Myrtle Beach rentals?
About 22.6% of Myrtle Beach homes are investor-owned (2025 data), among the higher concentrations in the Southeast and well above the national picture, where investors held roughly 30% of single-family purchases through 2025 into 2026 with a summer dip toward 25%. Heavy investor presence means real rent comps and real competition on acquisition day; we underwrite against professional-operator numbers, not a hopeful estimate.
Where short-term rentals are actually allowed
Myrtle Beach keeps STRs out of any zoning district whose name begins with "R" (residential), with the RMV (Residential Multifamily Visitor) zone as the exception; the permitted STR stock concentrates in resort and commercial zones. Buying a house in an "R" zone expecting to run it nightly is the classic out-of-state mistake. There is also a reverse-direction rule worth knowing: a 2025 city law bars converting existing STR buildings or units to long-term-rental use in designated key tourism zones, so flexibility runs one way, not both. And Horry County adds its own layer: STR operators open a county hospitality-fee account, collect the fee from guests, and remit it to the county, on top of any municipal permit. Every jurisdiction's rules: STR rules by city.
No pressure, no obligation, and no salesy follow-up: a 20-minute call with our team, real numbers, and a straight answer on whether the deal pencils.
Frequently asked questions
Where are short-term rentals allowed in Myrtle Beach?
Not in any zoning district beginning with 'R' (residential), except the RMV zone; permitted STRs concentrate in resort and commercial zones. A 2025 city law also bars converting existing STR buildings to long-term-rental use in key tourism zones. Horry County adds a hospitality-fee account requirement on top of the municipal permit (as of July 2026).
What percentage of Myrtle Beach homes are bought by investors?
About 22.6% of Myrtle Beach homes are investor-owned by 2025 compilations, well above national norms. Nationally, investors held roughly 30% of U.S. single-family purchases through 2025 into 2026, dipping toward 25% in summer months. Heavy investor presence means firm rent comps and real acquisition-day competition.
Is Myrtle Beach a good short-term rental market in 2026?
It is a large, maturing one rather than a boom. AirDNA's mid-2026 data shows the average active listing earning about $26,100 a year at 53% occupancy and a $280 ADR, with revenue down 2.3% year over year while ADR rose 8.4%. We underwrite conservatively, often on the long-term-rent fallback, so the deal holds through a soft season.
Can I get a DSCR loan on a Myrtle Beach condo?
Often yes, though condo and condotel projects carry extra review: the program checks the project's warrantability, owner-occupancy mix, and rental policies. The property still qualifies on its rent-to-payment ratio. Send us the building and unit and we'll confirm which programs lend on it before you're under contract.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. City STR rules, tax figures, and filing deadlines change; verify current requirements with the city or county, your CPA, or a South Carolina real estate attorney before you buy. Loans are subject to buyer and property qualification.