
The Ultimate Airbnb Financing Guide
A complete walkthrough of qualifying, structuring, and closing on your first, or fifth, short-term rental in today's rate environment. Written for serious investors.

Lisa Stepp
Author & Advisor
Specialized lending for Airbnb, VRBO, cabins, and vacation rentals. I bridge the gap between traditional mortgage logic and the high-yield world of short-term rentals, with education first, and DSCR expertise nationwide.
$340M+
In STR loans funded
1,200+
Investors financed
48
States licensed
18 days
Average close time
Capital Solutions
Qualify based on the property's rental income, no tax returns, no DTI headaches.
Explore DSCR LoansPurpose-built for Airbnb and VRBO dynamics, including AirDNA-based income underwriting.
Explore Short-Term Rental FinancingSecond-home rates with the flexibility to generate short-term rental income.
Explore Vacation Home LoansConventional and jumbo investor programs for building a rental portfolio.
Explore Investment Property LoansSpecialized handling for cabins, lake homes, and mountain properties.
Explore Cabin & Mountain FinancingRefinance equity into new acquisitions or consolidate a portfolio under one loan.
Explore Cash-Out & PortfolioThe Process
A clear path from first conversation to closed loan, built specifically for short-term rental investors.
We review your deal, goals, and credit profile. I'll match you to the right DSCR or investor program before you ever write an offer.
No W-2s needed. We use AirDNA, market rents, or existing lease agreements to prove the property pays for itself.
My team knows STR paperwork. We handle appraisal scheduling, rental income analysis, and lender communication, start to finish.
Clear to close in as little as 18 days. Then we repeat, portfolio loans, cash-out refinances, and your next acquisition.
Ready when you are
Encrypted 1003 · Takes about 10 minutes · No commitment
Investor Stories
“Lisa walked us through our first DSCR loan on a Pigeon Forge cabin. Closed in 21 days with zero income docs. We already bought our second property with her.”
Marcus & Tanya R.
First-Time STR Investors · Pigeon Forge, TN
“Every other lender wanted two years of tax returns. Lisa used AirDNA data and got us approved in 48 hours. She actually understands short-term rentals.”
David Chen
Portfolio Investor · Gatlinburg, TN
“We've referred over a dozen clients to Lisa. She pre-qualifies buyers fast, communicates with our team, and never lets a deal die at the financing stage.”
Sarah M.
Realtor · eXp Realty · Sevierville, TN
Vol. 01 · The Investor Library

A complete walkthrough of qualifying, structuring, and closing on your first, or fifth, short-term rental in today's rate environment. Written for serious investors.

Lisa Stepp
Author & Advisor

Pigeon Forge · Gatlinburg · Sevierville
The top-performing short-term rental markets in the Southeast , yields, occupancy, and regulatory intel from the field.
14.2%
Avg Yield
72%
Occupancy

Hyper-Local Expertise
As a local specialist in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Wears Valley, I help investors navigate cabin-specific lending nuances, septic and well requirements, elevation-based insurance, and short-term rental regulations that trip up out-of-market lenders.
The Stepp Up Show
One podcast. One YouTube walkthrough. One live webinar. Delivered every week to serious buyers and the advisors who represent them.

The mechanics of no-income-documentation loans for serious investors , what underwriters actually look at, and where deals quietly fall apart.
Listen to episodeField Notes · 12 min
Walking a Sevierville 5-bedroom with the financing stack laid out room by room.
Watch episodeLive · Thursday 2:00 PM ET
A live deep-dive into qualifying for investment property financing without tax returns.
Reserve your seat
About Lisa
Lisa Stepp is a mortgage loan officer and national educator focused exclusively on short-term rental, DSCR, and investment property financing. Her clients don't come to her to shop rates, they come for the strategy that turns a property into a portfolio.
Whether it's your first Airbnb or your tenth DSCR acquisition, the right financing strategy makes the difference between a liability and an asset.