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High-Ratio Program to Qualify.

Want to climb the property ladder but strapped for funds? Here, we will read about the high-ratio mortgage loan and several related details. Mortgage loans can be high or low, and the difference between these mortgages can be crucial when drawing up your mortgage plan. In this very guide, we will provide you with all the essential details you need to learn about the high ratio mortgage loan, how it’s calculated, its benefits, and how it differs from a conventional loan.

What is a High Ratio Program?

A high ratio mortgage is a loan in which the borrower makes a down payment of less than 20% of the loan amount. In other words, high ration loans can also be defined as the type of loan in which the loan value is higher in relation to the property that is used as collateral. The high ratio loans require insurance to protect the lender in case of any default. The insurance amount is usually added to the regular mortgage payments. You can either pay the insurance in lump sum amount or in a monthly payment.

What are the mortgage loan insurance premiums?

The high ratio loans require the borrower to pay a certain amount, known as mortgage loan insurance. This amount acts as protection for the lenders in case of any default. Different loan lenders charge different rates of mortgage insurance. For example, Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation charge the following rates:

• The mortgage rate is 4% if the down payment made by the borrower is between 5% to 9.9% of the loan amount.

• When the down payment falls between 10% and 14.99% of the loan amount, the mortgage rate is 3.10%

• When the down payment is between 15% and 19.99% of the loan amount, the mortgage amount taken by the lender is 2.80%

As is evident from the example that the mortgage amount is lower when the down payment is greater. The lender needs greater insurance when the down payment is low, and the ratio is almost similar to all high-ratio loan providers.

History of high ratio loan.

In the 1920s. People Worldwide purchased homes not by taking money from a bank but by saving their own money until they saved enough to purchase a piece of land or land with a house. Then came the system of loan and building companies, which started to lend money to people so that they could buy a house and later pay the money back to the company in instalments over many years.

By the end of the 1920s, banks were able to make high-ratio loans for up to 80 per cent of the house’s total value. Then private mortgage insurance came to protect the banks, but in the 1930s, all this went by the wayside because jobless people stopped making payments, and the PMI companies and banks went down as well.

Congress formed the homeowner’s loan Corp, which used to guarantee mortgages and rations sunk to fifteen per cent. Then later, by the federal housing administration and several other agencies, down payments fell to zero percent to promote homeownership.

This particular system flourished in 2007-2008 when the mortgage crisis of the year 2008 took hold. First, the high increase in high-risk mortgages that had gone into default at the beginning of 2007 contributed most to the severe recession in decades. Then in the 2000s, the housing boom was paired with low-interest rates, which prompted several lenders to offer home loans to people with poor credit. And after the bubble burst in real estate, many borrowers could not make the payments of their subprime mortgages.

How is a High Ratio Loan calculated?

High-ratio and low-ration loans are calculated by applying the LTV ratio. Lenders use the LTV ratio to determine the risk associated with a loan opportunity. The LTV ratio is the amount you get after dividing the loan amount by the total value of the property.

LTV Ratio= Borrowed amount/ value of the property x 100

Steps to calculate a high ratio loan by applying LTV:

1. Calculate the LTV ratio by dividing the borrowed amount by property value.

2. Turn the result into a percentage by multiplying it by 100.

3. The loan will be considered a high ratio loan if the value of the loan is above 80% after the down payment is made.

Example: If the borrower plans to purchase a property worth $1,000,000 and he makes a down payment of $100,000, the remainder of $900,000 shall be financed by the loan. In this case, the LTV would amount to 90%, bringing the loan to a high ratio.

LTV Ratio for High ratio loans:

Down Payment

LTV Ratio

5%

95%

10%

90%

15%

85%

19.9%

80.1%

Is A High Ratio Mortgage For You?

A high ratio loan is a great option for people who do not have a huge amount of money for down payments. You can go for high-ratio loans if you don’t have the means or time to arrange a large amount of money for down payments. But in this case, also you will have to pay some amount of down payment that would conventionally be less than 20% of the loan amount. In addition to that, there would be payments for insurance in high ratio loans. These loans are best for people who don’t have a large amount of money in hand.

Limitations of high ratio loan.

Though high ratio loans are a great mortgage method, they have certain limitations. The limitations of a high ratio loan are given below:

• The down payments in high ratio loans are very low. This exposes the banks to higher lending risks.

• In the case of high ratio loans, LTV ratio can reach 100%. This means that no down payment is made, and the payment of the whole amount of property is made through the loan. But this happens in rare cases due to very high credit risk.

• Borrowers have to pay some amount as the mortgage insurance in high ratio loans.

What is the difference between a High Ratio Loan and a conventional loan?

High ratio and conventional mortgages have to do with how much of a down payment you can pull together for the home or flat you are purchasing. For several years, the conventional amount that was required for buying a house was 20 percent, which proves the name conventional loan. And one of the major differences between conventional and high ratio loans is that mortgage loan insurance is not necessary for the former but is required for the latter.

For most people, making a down payment of twenty percent takes some work, but it is usually manageable. People who purchase a home for the first time often go on the route of purchasing or renting a cheaper apartment or townhouse so that they can save a huge amount of money. Recently, housing prices went up in some areas; lenders are made to consider how to make home-buying more accessible. However, in the high-priced housing markets where the home prices are one million or kore, there coming up with a conventional payment of twenty percent is suddenly very difficult.

Is High Ratio Loan cheaper than a low ratio mortgage?

The total amount of interest paid over the lifetime of the mortgages is nearly the same, at $79,101 for a low-ratio mortgage and $83,277 for a high-ratio mortgage. What makes them different from one another is the interest as a proportion of the original mortgage of the principal amount. Under the conventional mortgage, the interest paid is more as compared to the principal, while under the high-ratio mortgage, less interest has to be paid. And this is because of the lower interest found with the high-ratio mortgages.

According to the assumptions, the interest rates will remain the same for the entire 25-year life of the mortgage. Mortgage rates vary and change, and CMHC eligibility premiums and requirements can also change. The conventional mortgage also required a down payment of $50,000 larger than the down payment required in the high-ratio mortgage, for a total interest savings of only $4,176 over the period of 25 years.

Interest Costs- Low Ratio Vs Low Ratio.

High-ratio (5%)

High ratio (10%)

High ratio (15%)

Low-ratio (20%)

Fixed interest rate for 5 year

1.28%

1.28%

1.28%

1.49%

Down payment

$25,000

$50,000

$75,000

$100,000

Mortgage Principal

$475,000

$450,000

$425,000

$400,000

Total interest costs

$83,277

$78,211

$73,611

$79,101

Monthly Payment

$1,972

$1,852

$1,744

$1,597

CMHC Premium

$19,000

$13,950

$11,900

$0

Interest (%of principal)

17.53%

17.38%

17.33$

19.77%

Total cost( down payment, interest and principal)

$583,277

$578,211

$573,651

$579,101

Benefits of high ratio loan

There are several benefits of a high ratio loan, and these benefits are mentioned below:

• Low-interest rates- The interest rates in high ratio loans are lower than other loans. The low interest rate of high ratio loans is because the lenders are protected through insurance by default.

• Low amount of down payments- One of the best benefits of high ratio loans is that the down payment required is very low. This takes off the burden from the shoulders of the borrowers, making high ratio loans the perfect choice.

• Cheaper than low ratio loans- The total interest paid in both mortgages is almost the same. The main difference between the two that makes high ratio loans cheaper is the down payment. The down payment given in high ratio loans is much lower than that given in low ratio loans. This makes the overall cost of high ratio loans lower than low ratio loans.

Conclusion:

High ratio loans are great from the borrower’s point of view. Moreover, most of first-time home buyers opt for this loan. All the features of a high ratio loan are favorable to a borrower. The low-down payment, lower interest rates make it easier for a borrower to take high ratio loans. If you are also planning to buy a house and contemplating between different loan methods, you should consider the high ratio loans as they can help you get your dream house.