DEFY Wholesale vs Deephaven: Wholesale DSCR and Non-QM for Brokers

A broker-first comparison of DEFY Wholesale and Deephaven for investor business purpose DSCR and Non-QM files. DEFY facts are published program data; Deephaven's terms are for you to confirm with Deephaven.

Who each lender serves

DEFY Wholesale is a wholesale-only lender: we work through licensed mortgage brokers and third-party originators, never around them. That shapes everything. Pricing comes to you, the file stays yours, and your borrower never gets a retail call from us. We write investor business purpose loans in 39 states and are licensed under NMLS #2383214.

Deephaven operates differently, and the right answer depends on your deal. Compare on the things that actually move a file: whether the lender runs a retail channel that competes with you, how investor business-purpose income is calculated, which property types clear underwriting, and how fast conditions get cleared by a human. We do not publish Deephaven's guidelines, pricing or turn times here, so confirm each of those with Deephaven directly before you place a loan.

Lead with the DEFY investor stack: DSCR allowed down to 0.50 (No Ratio) on the short-term rental program, 85% LTV on purchase and 80% on cash-out for short-term rentals, and Foreign National loans with no credit report. In-house exceptions are available on DSCR files.

Programs side by side

DEFY figures come from our published program data at /programs and /api/programs.json. Deephaven cells read "Confirm with lender" because we never estimate another lender's terms.

ProgramDEFY WholesaleDeephaven
Investor DSCR (1-4 unit)Min FICO 620. Loans up to $3.0M. Up to 85% LTV on purchase and 80% on cash-out (cash-out at 80% requires 720+). Min DSCR 0.750. 30 and 15-year fixed, 30-year with a 10-year interest-only period.Confirm with lender
Short-term rental DSCRMin FICO 640. Loans $150K to $3.5M. Up to 85% LTV on purchase, 80% on cash-out. DSCR allowed down to 0.50 (No Ratio). Short-term rental income by AirDNA or 12-month history. 30-year and 40-year fixed, 30/40-year interest-only.Confirm with lender
Non-QM for self-employed borrowersMin FICO 620. Loans up to $5M. Up to 90% LTV on purchase with no MI, cash-out up to 80%. Bank statement, P&L only, 1099 and asset inclusion. DTI up to 50% (55% on a primary with compensating factors). 40-year fixed and 40-year interest-only.Confirm with lender
5-9 unit and mixed-useMin FICO 700. Loans up to $2.5M. Up to 75% LTV on purchase, 70% on cash-out. DSCR of 1.150 or better. Investment, business purpose only. LLC vesting with a personal guarantor.Confirm with lender
Foreign NationalNo credit report. DSCR cash-flow qualification at 0.750 or better. Loans up to $3M, up to 75% LTV. Foreign assets accepted. First-time investors allowed.Confirm with lender
ITINMin FICO 660. Loans up to $1.5M. 80% LTV on purchase, 75% on cash-out. Full doc and alt doc. Primary, second home and investment. Max DTI 50%.Confirm with lender
Blanket loansMin FICO 660. 3 to 25 properties on one note. Loans $150K to $3.5M. Up to 80% LTV. Portfolio DSCR of 1.10x or better. Investment, business purpose only.Confirm with lender
Second mortgagesInvestor DSCR 2nd: min FICO 680, up to $500K, 80% CLTV. Smart Equity 2nd (bank statement or P&L only): min FICO 660, up to $1M, 90% CLTV.Confirm with lender

What brokers should ask either lender

  • Does Deephaven run a retail or direct-to-borrower channel, and what protects my borrower from a solicitation after I submit?
  • How does Deephaven calculate rental income for DSCR, including short-term rental income, and what minimum DSCR applies to my scenario?
  • What are Deephaven's maximum LTV, minimum FICO and loan amount limits for this exact property type and occupancy?
  • Who clears conditions at Deephaven: a named underwriter or a queue, and what is the typical turn time on a clear-to-close?
  • Does Deephaven allow exceptions, and who can approve one?
  • Which states is Deephaven licensed in for this transaction, and does the loan need to be business purpose?
  • What are the prepayment terms, broker compensation and lock policy, in writing, before the file is submitted?
  • What is the lowest DSCR the lender will price, and does a No Ratio option exist for investor files that miss 1.00?

FAQ

Is DEFY Wholesale a direct-to-borrower lender?

No. DEFY Wholesale works exclusively with licensed mortgage brokers and third-party originators and has no retail channel, so a borrower you bring to us stays your borrower. Ask Deephaven how its own channels are structured and get the answer in writing.

Where does DEFY Wholesale lend?

DEFY Wholesale offers investor business purpose lending in 39 states. Primary and second home transactions are limited to AL, CA, CO, FL, GA, TN and TX. Ineligible states are AK, AZ, ID, MN, MT, ND, NV, SD, OR, UT, VT and DC. Check the lending area map before you quote a property.

Which DEFY programs should I compare against Deephaven?

Start with the programs that match your pipeline: investor DSCR, short-term rental DSCR, Non-QM for self-employed borrowers (bank statement, P&L only, 1099, asset inclusion), Foreign National, ITIN, 5-9 unit and mixed-use, blanket loans and second mortgages. Every program is published in full at /programs and in /api/programs.json.

Can I find Deephaven's current rates and guidelines on this page?

No. This page does not state or estimate Deephaven's terms. Confirm Deephaven's current pricing and guidelines directly with Deephaven, then price the same scenario in PriceIQ and compare price, conditions and time to decision.

How do I start sending files to DEFY Wholesale?

Apply at /get-approved. Most partners are approved in as fast as 24 hours after submitting the broker package, with no minimum volume and no commitment. You can price scenarios in PriceIQ with guest access before you are approved.

How low can DEFY go on DSCR?

The short-term rental DSCR program allows DSCR down to 0.50 (No Ratio), with 1.00x standard pricing. The core DSCR program has a minimum DSCR of 0.750, and Foreign National loans qualify at 0.750 or better.

Become an approved broker | Talk to our team | Lending area map

Defy Wholesale works with licensed mortgage professionals only and offers investor business purpose lending in 39 states. NMLS #2383214.

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Defy Mortgage, LLC · NMLS #2383214 · 1030 16th Ave S, FL 2, Nashville, TN 37212

Defy Wholesale is the wholesale (TPO) channel of Defy Mortgage, LLC. We lend on investor business-purpose transactions across a 39-state lending area and work only through licensed mortgage brokers and third-party originators. Brokers can apply to become an approved partner.