1. Home & Garden

Discuss in my forum

Loan-to-Value Ratio - Definition of Loan-to-Value Ratio

By , About.com Guide

Definition: Sometimes you will see a loan-to-value ratio abbreviated as LTV. This ratio is figured by taking the amount of the loan and dividing it by the market value of the home. Loan-to-value ratios are important because the lower the ratio, the lower the interest rate charged by the lender and the easier it is to qualify for a loan.

A common loan-to-value ratio is 80%. Therefore, a home worth $200,000 at an 80% loan-to-value ratio would have a loan of $160,000. Eighty percent of $200,000 is $160,000.

At the time of writing, Elizabeth Weintraub, DRE # 00697006, is a Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate in Sacramento, California.

Also Known As: LTV
Alternate Spellings: loan to value ratio
Common Misspellings: laon to value ratio
Examples:
If a buyer obtains a $90,000 loan on a home worth $100,000, the loan-to-value ratio is 90%.

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.