Mortgage Factors: Loan to Value

When applying for a home loan, there are a number ofThe higher the risk level, the more picky the lender is
factors you have to take into account. Loan to value isgoing to be about other factors in the application
one of the key issues that will determine whether youprocess such as income, credit and so on.
get that loan.The magic number with loan to value rations is 80
Mortgage Factors: Loan to Valuepercent. If you can come up with sufficient cash to put
When considering an application for a mortgage,down 20 percent on a property, the lender will consider
lenders look at a number of factors. Regardless of thethe loan to be less risky. Put in practical terms, the
type of loan, they always look at loan to value ratios.lender knows you aren't about to walk away from
The loan to value ration is simply a calculation that tellsyour large cash down payment if you can help it. Thus,
the lender and you the value of the property inthere is less risk in granting the loan.
question versus the amount of the loan. The ratio isIf you are applying for a mortgage with a high loan to
determined by dividing the appraised value of thevalue ratio, you need to make sure you have excellent
home by the amount sought for the home loan. Forcredit and a strong history of employment. An
instance, assume a home is appraised at $200,000. Ifapplication with 90 or 100 percent loan to value is going
you apply for a $160,000 home loan, the loan to valueto make a lender risk sensitive, so you can expect it to
is 80 percent.be much harder to get the loan.
In evaluating any loan of any type, lenders try toIn the current home financing market, the loan to value
evaluate the risk factor. By risk, they are trying toratio is not as critical as it used to be. There are now a
ascertain the chance you will default on the loan andbevy of lenders that specialize in particular types of
leave them holding the property. The loan to valueloans, particularly high loan to value ratio mortgages. If
ration is one of the factors used to determine risk.you are looking at a high loan to value ratio, a
Simply put, the larger the loan to value ratio, the moremortgage broker is your best option to finding the best
risk the lender has of getting stuck with the property.deal.