Kiavi Review

Kiavi scores 7.0/10 under our DSCR methodology: one of the category’s biggest platforms with genuinely good rate transparency and a light complaint file, held back by unpublished requirements and mixed servicing feedback.

What is Kiavi?

Kiavi is one of the largest lenders to residential real estate investors in the US. Founded in 2013 as LendingHome and rebranded in late 2021, the company says it has originated more than $30 billion in loans across 100,000-plus projects, lending in 49 states plus DC. It’s a technology-first lender: prequalification runs through an online platform with a soft credit pull. In June 2026, Figure Technology Solutions agreed to acquire Kiavi for $717 million; the deal keeps Kiavi operating as a subsidiary. Kiavi lists NMLS ID #1125207 in its site footer.

Kiavi’s DSCR loan program

Kiavi’s rental loan is a DSCR product: qualification rests on the property’s rent coverage rather than personal income, with no W-2s, tax returns, or stated cash-reserve minimums. It offers 30-year fixed, 5/1 and 7/1 ARMs, and interest-only options, up to 80% LTV, on single-family homes, PUDs, condos, and 2–4 unit properties. Kiavi publishes a teaser rate — "as low as 5.875%" at this writing — which is more transparency than many competitors offer. Its marketing cites DSCRs "as low as 0.8x," though Kiavi’s own process guide says 1.1 is the minimum to prequalify. Minimum credit score and loan amounts aren’t published; third-party sources report a 660 FICO floor. The advertised option carries no prepayment penalty after year three. Utah is the one state not served.

Strengths

Scale and track record are the headline: thirteen years operating and a claimed $30+ billion originated, with a very light federal complaint file — just 24 CFPB complaints on record, low for a lender this size. Rate transparency is genuinely above category norm, as is the soft-pull online prequalification, which won’t ding your credit to see terms. Reviewers on Trustpilot rate Kiavi around 4.6 out of 5 across 700-plus reviews, most often praising speed, responsive account managers, and the online portal.

Watch-outs

Kiavi doesn’t publish its minimum credit score, loan amounts, or fee schedule — you’ll need a quote to see real pricing, and an appraisal fee is due at application. The "0.8x DSCR" marketing sits uneasily beside Kiavi’s own guidance that 1.1 is the prequalification minimum. Its BBB profile is A-rated but not accredited, with several complaints marked unanswered; complaint narratives cluster around closing delays, appraisal disputes, and payment-process friction. Short-term-rental eligibility isn’t addressed on its site, and the pending Figure acquisition could change the program.

Who Kiavi fits

Kiavi fits investors who want a large, established DSCR lender with published starting rates and a fast, soft-pull online process — particularly those financing standard long-term rentals at moderate leverage. It’s a weaker match for borrowers who want every requirement in writing before applying, short-term-rental operators seeking explicit STR underwriting, or anyone in Utah, which isn’t served.