# Loan-To-Value (LTV) Ratio: What It Is, How To Calculate, and Example

![Loan To Value](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/8oZlrgPEbGeBF97MNtWnOb7W3Vw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/terms_l_loantovalue_FINAL-9676cca1d30f478a9a875a8f60f94ba8.jpg)

*A borrower's LTV ratio is used by lenders to determine their mortgage eligibility and interest rate. — Investopedia / Daniel Fishel*

> **Definition**
>
> The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio measures how much risk a prospective homebuyer represents based on the mortgage amount and the appraised value of the property. Lower LTVs are better in the eyes of lenders, but they require borrowers to come up with larger down payments.

## What Is the Loan-To-Value (LTV) Ratio?

The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is an assessment of lending risk that financial institutions and other lenders examine before approving a [mortgage](https://www.investopedia.com/the-best-mortgage-lenders-11714101). Typically, loan assessments with high LTV ratios are considered higher-risk loans. Therefore, if the mortgage is approved, the loan typically has a higher interest rate.

Additionally, a loan with a high LTV ratio may require the borrower to purchase [mortgage insurance](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mortgage-insurance.asp) to offset the risk to the lender. This type of insurance is called [private mortgage insurance (PMI)](https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/mortgage-guide/mortgage-insurance/).

### Key Takeaways

*   Loan-to-value (LTV) is an often used ratio in mortgage lending to determine the amount necessary to put in a down payment and whether a lender will extend credit to a borrower.
*   Most lenders offer mortgage and home-equity applicants the lowest possible interest rate when the LTV ratio is at or below 80%.
*   Mortgages become more expensive for borrowers with higher LTVs.
*   Fannie Mae's HomeReady and Freddie Mac's Home Possible mortgage programs for low-income borrowers allow an LTV ratio of 97% (3% down payment) but require mortgage insurance until the ratio falls to 80%.

## How the LTV Ratio Works

Determining an LTV ratio is a critical component of mortgage [underwriting](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/underwriting.asp). It may be used in the process of [buying a home](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/111214/buying-home-cash-vs-mortgage.asp), [refinancing](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/refinance.asp) a current mortgage into a new loan, or borrowing against accumulated [equity](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/equity.asp) within a property.

Lenders assess the LTV ratio to determine the level of exposure to risk they take on when underwriting a mortgage. When borrowers request a loan for an amount that is at or near the [appraised](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/appraisal.asp) value (and therefore has a higher LTV ratio), lenders perceive that there's a greater chance of the loan going into [default](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/default2.asp). This is because there's very little equity built up within the property.

As a result, in the event of a [foreclosure](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/foreclosure.asp), the lender may find it difficult to sell the home for enough to cover the outstanding mortgage balance and still make a profit from the transaction.

## How to Calculate the LTV Ratio

Interested homebuyers can easily calculate the LTV ratio of a home. This is the formula:

$\begin{aligned} &LTV ratio=\frac{MA}{APV}\\ &\textbf{where:}\\ &MA = \text{Mortgage Amount}\\ &APV = \text{Appraised Property Value}\\ \end{aligned}$

An LTV ratio is calculated by dividing the amount borrowed by the appraised value of the property, expressed as a percentage. For example, if you buy a home appraised at $100,000 for its appraised value and make a $10,000 [down payment](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/down_payment.asp), you'll borrow $90,000. This results in an LTV ratio of 90% (i.e., 90,000 / 100,000).  

> **Tip**
>
> The main factors impacting LTV ratios are the amount of the loan and the value of the property. A higher down payment (which reduces the loan amount) will result in a lower LTV ratio.

## How LTV Is Used by Lenders

An LTV ratio is only one factor in determining eligibility for securing a mortgage, a [home equity loan](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/homeequityloan.asp), or a [line of credit (LOC)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/lineofcredit.asp). However, it can play a substantial role in the interest rate that a borrower is able to secure. Most lenders offer mortgage and home-equity applicants the lowest possible interest rate when their LTV ratio is at or below 80%.

A higher LTV ratio doesn't exclude borrowers from being approved for a mortgage, although the interest on the loan may rise as the LTV ratio increases. For example, a borrower with an LTV ratio of 95% may be approved for a mortgage. However, their interest rate may be higher than the one given to a borrower with an LTV ratio of 75%.

If the LTV ratio is higher than 80%, a borrower may be required to purchase PMI. This can add anywhere from 0.5% to 1% to the total amount of the loan on an annual basis. For example, PMI with a rate of 1% on a $100,000 loan would add an additional $1,000 to the total amount paid per year (or approximately $83.33 per month). PMI payments are required until the LTV ratio is 80% or lower. The LTV ratio will decrease as you pay down your loan and as the value of your home increases over time.

In general, the lower the LTV ratio, the greater the chance that the loan will be approved and the lower the interest rate is likely to be. In addition, as a borrower, it's less likely that you'll be required to purchase PMI.

While there's no law stating lenders must require an 80% or lower LTV ratio so that borrowers can [avoid the additional cost of PMI](https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-remove-pmi-from-your-mortgage-8623031), nearly all lenders do. Exceptions to this requirement are sometimes made for borrowers who have a high income, less debt, or a large investment portfolio.

### < 80%

As a rule of thumb, a good LTV ratio should be no greater than 80%. Anything above 80% is considered to be a high LTV, which means that borrowers may face higher borrowing costs, require PMI, or be denied a loan. LTVs above 95% are often considered unacceptable.

## Mortgage Example of LTV

Suppose you buy a home that appraises for $100,000. However, the owner's willing to sell it for $90,000. If you make a $10,000 down payment, your loan amount will be $80,000, which results in an LTV ratio of 80% (i.e., 80,000 / 100,000). If you were to increase your down payment to $15,000, your mortgage would instead be $75,000. This would make your LTV ratio 75% (i.e., 75,000 / 100,000).

## Variations on LTV Ratio Rules

Different loan types may have different rules when it comes to LTV ratio requirements.

### Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loans

[Federal Housing Administration (FHA)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/federal-housing-administration.asp) loans are mortgages designed for low-to-moderate-income borrowers. They're issued by an FHA-approved lender and insured by the FHA.

FHA loans require a lower minimum down payment and credit scores than many conventional loans. FHA loans allow an initial LTV ratio of up to 96.5%, but they require a [mortgage insurance premium (MIP)](https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/insurance/qualified-insurance-premium/) that lasts for as long as you have that loan (no matter how low the LTV ratio eventually goes).

Many people decide to refinance their FHA loans once their LTV ratio reaches 80% in order to eliminate the MIP requirement.

### USDA and VA Loans

[United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)](https://www.investopedia.com/usda-loan-5116841) and [U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valoan.asp) loans—available to those in rural areas and current and former military, respectively—don't require PMI even though the LTV ratio can be as high as 100%. However, USDA and VA loans each have additional fees.

### Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Fannie Mae's HomeReady and Freddie Mac's Home Possible mortgage programs for low-income borrowers allow an LTV ratio of 97%. However, they require mortgage insurance until the ratio falls to 80%.

For FHA, USDA, and VA loans, there are streamlined refinancing options available. These waive appraisal requirements so the home's LTV ratio doesn't affect the loan. For borrowers with an LTV ratio over 100%—also known as being "underwater" or "upside down"—Fannie Mae's High Loan-to-Value Refinance Option and Freddie Mac's Enhanced Relief Refinance are also available options.

> **Important**
>
> Upfront fees on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac home loans changed in May 2023. Fees were increased for homebuyers with higher credit scores, such as 740 or higher, while they were decreased for homebuyers with lower credit scores, such as those below 640. Another change: Your down payment will influence what your fee is. The higher your down payment, the lower your fees, though it'll still depend on your credit score. Fannie Mae provides the Loan-Level Price Adjustments on its website.

## LTV vs. Combined LTV (CLTV)

While the LTV ratio looks at the impact of a single mortgage loan when purchasing a property, the [combined loan-to-value (CLTV) ratio](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/combinedloantovalue.asp) is the ratio of all secured loans on a property to its value. This includes not only the primary mortgage used for an LTV ratio but also any second mortgages, home equity loans or lines of credit (HELOCs), or other liens.

Lenders use the CLTV ratio to determine a prospective home buyer's risk of default when more than one loan is used—for example, if they'll have a mortgage plus a home equity loan or HELOC. In general, lenders are willing to lend at CLTV ratios of 80% and below and to borrowers with high credit ratings. Primary lenders tend to be more generous with CLTV requirements since it's a more thorough measure.

Let's look a little closer at the difference. The LTV ratio only considers the primary mortgage balance on a home. Therefore, if the primary mortgage balance is $100,000 and the home value is $200,000, LTV equals 50%. Consider, however, the example if it also has a second mortgage in the amount of $30,000 and a HELOC of $20,000. The CLTV (($100,000 + $30,000 + $20,000) / $200,000) now equals 75%; a much higher ratio.

These combined considerations are especially important if the mortgagee defaults and goes into foreclosure.

## How Is LTV Calculated?

LTV is calculated simply by taking the loan amount and dividing it by the value of the asset or collateral being borrowed against. In the case of a mortgage, this would be the mortgage amount divided by the property's value.

## What Is a Good LTV?

[Many lenders use 80% as the threshold](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/maximum_loan_to_value_ratio.asp) for a good LTV ratio. Anything below this value is even better. Note that borrowing costs can become higher, or borrowers may be denied loans, as the LTV rises above 80%.

## What Are Disadvantages of LTV?

The main drawback of the information that an LTV provides is that it only includes a homeowner's primary mortgage, and it doesn't include in its calculations other obligations of the borrower, such as a second mortgage or home equity loan. Therefore, the CLTV is a more inclusive measure of a borrower's ability to repay a home loan.

## What Does a 70% LTV Mean?

A 70% (0.70) LTV ratio indicates that the amount borrowed is equal to 70% of the value of the asset. In the case of a mortgage, it would mean that the borrower has come up with a 30% down payment and is financing the rest. For instance, a $500,000 property with a 70% LTV would have a $150,000 down payment and a $350,000 mortgage.

## The Bottom Line

An LTV ratio typically represents the amount of a mortgage compared to the property's value. An 80% LTV, for example, would mean a mortgage equal to 80% of the property's value.

Borrowers often get better terms on their mortgages with lower LTVs because they require higher down payments. The more money borrowers can put down, the less likely it becomes that they'll be a risk in the eyes of lenders. Mortgages with LTVs higher than 80% usually require PMI, which adds an additional cost to monthly payments.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Experian. "[What Is Loan-To-Value Ratio (LTV)?](https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-is-loan-to-value-ratio-and-why-is-it-important/)."
>     
> 2.  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "[Basic Home Mortgage Loan 203(B)](https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/ins/sfh203b)."
>     
> 3.  U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "[VA Home Loans](https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/purchasecashout.asp)."
>     
> 4.  U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. "[Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program](https://www.rd.usda.gov/media/file/download/usda-rd-rhs-sfhg-fs-10162024.pdf)."
>     
> 5.  Freddie Mac. "[Home Possible](https://sf.freddiemac.com/working-with-us/origination-underwriting/mortgage-products/home-possible)."
>     
> 6.  Fannie Mae. "[HomeReady Mortgage](https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/originating-underwriting/mortgage-products/homeready-mortgage)."
>     
> 7.  Federal Housing Finance Agency. "[Refinance Report: First Quarter 2019](https://www.fhfa.gov/document/refinance-report-first-quarter-2019)," Page 2 (Page 3 of PDF).
>     
> 8.  Fannie Mae. “[Loan-Level Price Adjustment Matrix](https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/media/9391/display),” Page 2.