"This month the number of products at 90% loan-to-value has increased to the highest point since April 2008, when the number of deals stood at 708"
The report found that the number of 90% LTV products has increased from 560 in August to 594 - the highest figure since 2008. According to Moneyfacts, there are now 250 95% LTV products available on the market, up from a low of 238 in August.
Charlotte Nelson, Finance Expert at Moneyfacts, reacted to the findings: “Shortly after the EU referendum, the number of higher loan-to-value mortgages fell slightly, as providers quickly reassessed the risks of lending to borrowers with a smaller deposit and others worried that this was the start of a restriction of deals for first-time buyers.
However, this month the number of products at 90% loan-to-value has increased to the highest point since April 2008, when the number of deals stood at 708. The number of products at 95% LTV also saw a boost, reaching an eight-month high.
The Bank of England is keen to ensure that providers keep to business as usual, and after the initial shock to markets following the vote on 23 June it appears that the higher loan-to-value market is doing even better than usual. This shows how quickly institutions can now react and adapt to changes in the market.
Charlotte continued: "This is mainly due to the amount of competition there is in the market. Providers are now finding that the traditional ‘less risky’ areas of 60% LTV are being swamped with deals and they need to diversify into new sectors to attract borrowers.
The Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee Scheme made it acceptable to lend at the higher loan-to-values again after the financial crisis. However, with the scheme ending next month, it is hoped that the removal of this crutch won’t cause this fundamental part of a healthy mortgage market to collapse.”
