What Happens When an Appraisal Changes the Maximum LTV?
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What Happens When an Appraisal Changes the Maximum LTV?
When an appraisal changes the maximum loan-to-value ratio, the mortgage may need to be restructured.
A lower appraisal can affect:
- Maximum loan amount
- Required down payment
- Cash needed at closing
- Mortgage insurance
- Interest-rate pricing
- Seller contributions
- Loan-program eligibility
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Closing costs
- Refinance proceeds
- Cash available from a cash-out refinance
The appraisal does not directly change the loan program’s published maximum LTV.
Instead, it changes the property value used to calculate the actual LTV.
If the new calculation exceeds the program’s limit, the lender must adjust the transaction.
Possible solutions include:
- Reducing the loan amount
- Increasing the down payment
- Renegotiating the purchase price
- Changing loan programs
- Challenging the appraisal
- Modifying mortgage insurance
- Reducing cash-out proceeds
- Canceling the transaction under an applicable contract provision
The effect depends on whether the transaction is a purchase or refinance and how close the original structure was to the program’s maximum.
What Is Loan-to-Value?
Loan-to-value, or LTV, compares the first mortgage amount with the property value recognized by the loan program.
The basic calculation is:
Loan amount ÷ property value = LTV
For example:
- Loan amount: $400,000
- Property value: $500,000
- LTV: 80%
The lender uses LTV to measure how much of the property’s recognized value is being financed.
A higher LTV generally means:
- A smaller down payment
- Less borrower equity
- Greater lender exposure
- Potential mortgage insurance
- Different pricing
- More restrictive eligibility requirements
A lower LTV generally means more borrower equity and less collateral exposure for the lender.
Maximum LTV Versus Actual LTV
These are related but different concepts.
Maximum LTV is the highest ratio permitted for a specific transaction.
Actual LTV is the ratio produced by the loan amount and recognized property value.
The maximum can depend on:
- Loan program
- Purchase or refinance
- Occupancy
- Property type
- Number of units
- Credit profile
- Loan purpose
- Mortgage product
- First-time buyer status
- Whether subordinate financing exists
The appraisal determines one of the numbers used in the calculation.
If the appraisal changes, the actual LTV changes unless the loan amount changes too.
How LTV Is Calculated on a Purchase
For a standard purchase transaction, the lender generally uses the lower of:
- Purchase price
- Current appraised value
Fannie Mae’s current LTV guidance states that purchase LTV is calculated by dividing the original loan amount by the property value, with property value defined as the lower of the sales price or current appraised value.
This creates two important outcomes:
- If the appraisal is lower than the purchase price, the lower appraisal normally controls the LTV calculation.
- If the appraisal is higher than the purchase price, the higher appraisal normally does not increase the value used for the standard purchase LTV calculation.
The lender does not ordinarily give the buyer additional borrowing power simply because the appraisal exceeds the contract price.
How LTV Is Calculated on a Refinance
For a standard refinance, the lender generally divides the loan amount by the current appraised value.
For example:
- Proposed refinance loan: $400,000
- Appraised value: $500,000
- LTV: 80%
If the appraisal falls to $475,000:
- Proposed loan: $400,000
- Appraised value: $475,000
- LTV: approximately 84.21%
The refinance may still qualify, but its:
- Pricing
- Mortgage insurance
- Cash-out proceeds
- Program eligibility
- Required reserves
could change.
How a Lower Appraisal Changes the LTV
Assume a buyer agrees to purchase a home for $500,000.
The original mortgage plan is:
- Purchase price: $500,000
- Down payment: $100,000
- Loan amount: $400,000
- Planned LTV: 80%
The appraisal comes in at $480,000.
The new LTV is calculated as:
- Loan amount: $400,000
- Recognized value: $480,000
- Actual LTV: approximately 83.33%
If the buyer wants or needs to remain at 80% LTV, the maximum loan becomes:
- $480,000 × 80% = $384,000
The buyer now needs to address the $16,000 reduction in loan amount.
Possible solutions include:
- Increase the down payment by $16,000
- Renegotiate the purchase price
- Accept an LTV above 80% and add mortgage insurance, if eligible
- Challenge the appraisal
- Change loan programs
The purchase price does not automatically change because the appraisal is lower.
The purchase contract determines whether the buyer and seller can renegotiate or cancel.
The Appraisal Gap
The difference between the purchase price and appraised value is often called an appraisal gap.
Using the previous example:
- Purchase price: $500,000
- Appraised value: $480,000
- Appraisal gap: $20,000
But the appraisal gap and additional cash requirement are not always the same.
If the buyer originally planned an 80% LTV loan, the loan decreases by only 80% of the $20,000 value difference:
- Original loan: $400,000
- Revised 80% loan: $384,000
- Loan reduction: $16,000
The buyer was already contributing the other 20% through the planned down payment.
This distinction is important when calculating the actual change in cash to close.
If you want help walking through your specific situation, I can run the numbers with you.
Maximum LTV Example With a 5% Down Payment
Assume:
- Purchase price: $500,000
- Planned down payment: 5%
- Planned loan amount: $475,000
- Planned LTV: 95%
The appraisal comes in at $480,000.
If the loan remains $475,000, the new LTV is approximately:
- $475,000 ÷ $480,000 = 98.96%
That exceeds a 95% maximum.
To remain at 95% LTV:
- $480,000 × 95% = $456,000 maximum loan
The buyer would need to cover:
- $500,000 purchase price
- Minus $456,000 loan
- Equals $44,000 total down payment
The original down payment was $25,000.
The appraisal increases the buyer’s required down payment by $19,000 unless the price or loan structure changes.
The appraisal gap is $20,000, but the additional cash requirement is $19,000 because the lender can still finance 95% of the lower recognized value.
A Higher Appraisal Usually Does Not Reduce the Purchase Down Payment
Assume:
- Purchase price: $500,000
- Appraised value: $525,000
- Planned down payment: 5%
- Loan amount: $475,000
The lender generally calculates the purchase LTV using the lower $500,000 purchase price.
The LTV remains:
- $475,000 ÷ $500,000 = 95%
The appraisal does not normally allow the buyer to borrow 95% of $525,000.
It does not eliminate the agreed down payment.
The buyer may have immediate theoretical equity, but purchase financing remains based on the applicable lower-of-cost-or-value calculation.
The Maximum Loan Amount May Decrease
When the appraisal reduces recognized property value, the lender may have to lower the loan amount to remain within program limits.
The basic calculation is:
Appraised value × maximum LTV = maximum loan amount
For example:
- Appraised value: $600,000
- Maximum LTV: 90%
- Maximum loan: $540,000
If the original loan request was $558,000, the loan may need to decrease by $18,000.
The buyer must then determine how to cover the difference.
Cash to Close May Increase
A lower appraisal can increase the buyer’s cash requirement through:
- Reduced loan proceeds
- Larger down payment
- Changed mortgage-insurance structure
- Reduced lender credits
- Changed pricing
- Unusable seller contributions
- Additional reserves
- Different program requirements
The buyer should request an updated Loan Estimate or closing worksheet after the lender restructures the loan.
Do not assume the cash increase equals the entire appraisal gap.
The actual result depends on the revised loan amount and program.
Mortgage Insurance May Be Added
A buyer may initially structure a conventional loan at 80% LTV to avoid private mortgage insurance.
If a lower appraisal raises the actual LTV above 80%, the buyer may have two primary choices:
- Reduce the loan amount to return to 80%
- Accept a higher LTV and obtain mortgage insurance, if eligible
Mortgage insurance can affect:
- Monthly payment
- Cash due at closing
- Loan approval
- Pricing
- Debt-to-income ratio
The mortgage insurer may also apply its own eligibility requirements.
A small value change near the 80% threshold can therefore have a meaningful effect.
Mortgage Insurance Coverage May Change
If mortgage insurance was already part of the transaction, the required coverage level or premium may change when the LTV moves into a different range.
For example, a loan moving from one LTV band to another may change:
- Monthly borrower-paid mortgage insurance
- Single-premium mortgage insurance
- Lender-paid mortgage insurance pricing
- Required coverage percentage
- Eligibility with a specific mortgage insurer
The lender must rerun the mortgage-insurance structure using the revised value and LTV.
Interest-Rate Pricing May Change
Conventional mortgage pricing can depend partly on LTV.
Fannie Mae notes that loan-level price adjustments may apply based on factors including LTV and representative credit score.
A value change can move the loan into another pricing bracket.
That may affect:
- Interest rate
- Discount points
- Lender credit
- Break-even period
- Cash to close
For example, moving from 75% LTV to above 75% may produce different pricing depending on the credit score, property type, occupancy, and transaction.
The lender should reprice the actual revised structure rather than assume the original terms remain available.
A Lower Appraisal Can Affect Debt-to-Income Ratio
A lower appraisal does not directly change the borrower’s income or debts.
But it can indirectly affect debt-to-income ratio when:
- Mortgage insurance is added
- The interest rate changes
- The loan program changes
- The buyer uses a different mortgage structure
- A subordinate loan is added
- Monthly housing expenses increase
A borrower who was near the maximum qualifying ratio may no longer qualify after the payment changes.
This is one reason appraisal review is part of final underwriting rather than merely a property-value exercise.
Seller Contributions May Need to Be Recalculated
Loan programs limit seller contributions based on factors that may include:
- Occupancy
- Loan program
- LTV
- Down payment
- Property type
- Use of the funds
If the appraisal changes the LTV category, the maximum permitted seller contribution may change.
Even when the contribution remains within the percentage limit, a lower loan amount or changed closing-cost structure may leave part of the credit unusable.
Seller credits cannot normally be used to:
- Provide cash back beyond permitted amounts
- Replace a required down payment
- Cover an appraisal gap directly
- Exceed actual eligible costs
The lender should recalculate the available contribution after restructuring the transaction.
Seller Credits Do Not Cover the Appraisal Gap
A seller credit and a price reduction are not the same.
A seller credit helps pay eligible closing costs and prepaid items.
A price reduction lowers the amount the buyer is contractually obligated to pay.
If the appraisal is below the purchase price, a seller credit does not generally change the lower value used for LTV.
For example:
- Purchase price: $500,000
- Appraised value: $480,000
- Seller credit: $10,000
The value used for purchase LTV remains $480,000.
The credit may reduce eligible closing expenses, but it does not increase the maximum loan based on the appraisal.
A Price Reduction Can Change the Buyer’s Cash Requirement
Assume:
- Original purchase price: $500,000
- Appraised value: $480,000
- Maximum LTV: 95%
- Maximum loan: $456,000
If the seller reduces the price to $480,000:
- New price: $480,000
- Appraised value: $480,000
- Loan at 95%: $456,000
- Down payment: $24,000
The buyer may return close to the original 5% down-payment structure.
If the seller reduces the price only to $490,000:
- Maximum loan remains $456,000
- Buyer’s required contribution becomes $34,000
Partial price reductions can still help even when they do not eliminate the complete appraisal gap.
Appraisal-Gap Guarantees
A buyer may have agreed to cover some or all of an appraisal shortage.
For example, the contract may state that the buyer will contribute up to $20,000 above appraised value.
This contract promise does not increase the lender’s recognized value.
The lender still calculates LTV using the applicable lower value.
The buyer must provide the additional funds from an acceptable, documented source.
The lender may need to verify that the buyer still has:
- Sufficient closing funds
- Required reserves
- Acceptable asset documentation
- No undisclosed borrowing
- Adequate post-closing liquidity
An appraisal-gap agreement is a contract strategy—not a mortgage valuation method.
Gift Funds May Help Cover the Increased Requirement
Depending on the loan program and transaction, eligible gift funds may help cover:
- Additional down payment
- Closing costs
- Reserves, when permitted
The lender must document:
- Acceptable donor
- Gift letter
- Transfer of funds
- Donor ability, when required
- No repayment obligation
Gift eligibility varies by occupancy, property type, and loan program.
The buyer should not arrange a gift until the lender confirms how it can be used.
Borrowed Funds Cannot Be Hidden
A buyer may be tempted to use:
- A personal loan
- Credit cards
- An undocumented family loan
- A business advance
- A newly opened line of credit
to cover an appraisal-related cash increase.
This can affect:
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Asset eligibility
- Credit
- Loan approval
- Required disclosures
- Automated underwriting
All borrowed funds and new liabilities must be disclosed.
An undisclosed loan can jeopardize final approval.
Combined Loan-to-Value May Also Change
LTV measures the first mortgage.
Combined loan-to-value, or CLTV, considers the first mortgage plus certain subordinate financing.
The basic calculation is:
First mortgage + subordinate loan balances ÷ property value = CLTV
If the appraisal falls, both the LTV and CLTV rise unless the loan balances change.
This can affect transactions involving:
- Down payment assistance
- Community seconds
- HELOCs
- Closed-end second mortgages
- Piggyback loans
- Existing subordinate financing on a refinance
The first mortgage may satisfy its individual limit while the combined financing exceeds the maximum CLTV.
Home Equity Combined Loan-to-Value
Home equity combined loan-to-value, or HCLTV, can account for the full available credit limit of certain HELOCs rather than only the amount initially drawn.
A lower appraisal can cause the HCLTV to exceed program requirements even when:
- The first mortgage remains acceptable
- The HELOC balance is low
- The borrower does not plan to use the full line immediately
The lender must calculate LTV, CLTV, and HCLTV correctly for the transaction.
Down Payment Assistance Can Be Affected
Down payment assistance programs may impose their own:
- Maximum LTV
- Maximum CLTV
- Minimum borrower contribution
- Purchase-price limits
- Appraisal requirements
- Loan-amount restrictions
A lower appraisal can create a structure in which:
- The first mortgage decreases
- Assistance exceeds an allowed percentage
- CLTV becomes too high
- The borrower must contribute additional funds
- The assistance amount must be reduced
- The transaction no longer qualifies
The lender and assistance provider may both need to approve the revised structure.
Conventional Loan Effects
A lower appraisal on a conventional loan may change:
- Maximum conforming loan amount
- LTV
- Mortgage insurance
- Pricing
- Seller-contribution limits
- Automated underwriting findings
- Reserve requirements
- Loan eligibility
The loan should generally be resubmitted through the applicable automated underwriting system using the final appraised value and revised terms.
A prior approval based on estimated value is not the final decision.
FHA Loan Effects
FHA purchase financing generally considers the applicable relationship among:
- Purchase price
- Appraised value
- Eligible transaction costs
- Statutory and program limits
A lower appraisal can reduce the FHA base loan amount.
The buyer may need to:
- Increase the cash contribution
- Renegotiate the sales price
- Challenge the appraisal through the permitted process
- Restructure allowable costs
- Cancel under applicable contract protections
FHA mortgage insurance does not eliminate the need for an acceptable appraisal and maximum mortgage calculation.
VA Loan Effects
VA loans may provide eligible borrowers with 100% financing, but that financing remains tied to the property’s reasonable value and applicable acquisition-cost rules.
If the purchase price exceeds the VA-established reasonable value, the veteran may need to:
- Pay the difference
- Renegotiate the sales price
- Request a reconsideration of value
- Exercise applicable contract protections
- Change the transaction
The veteran generally cannot finance an unsupported appraisal gap merely because VA permits no-down-payment financing.
The buyer should also preserve sufficient funds for closing costs and reserves.
USDA Loan Effects
USDA financing may permit high leverage, but the property must still support the loan under applicable value and program calculations.
A lower appraisal can affect:
- Maximum base loan
- Financed eligible costs
- Cash required
- Seller contributions
- Program eligibility
- Debt-to-income ratio
The lender must restructure the loan using the final acceptable value.
Jumbo Loan Effects
Jumbo lenders often divide pricing and eligibility into specific LTV categories.
A relatively small appraisal change may move a loan from:
- 70% to above 70%
- 75% to above 75%
- 80% to above 80%
That can trigger:
- A different interest rate
- Higher reserve requirements
- Reduced maximum loan amount
- A second appraisal
- Additional appraisal review
- Investor ineligibility
- A larger down payment
Jumbo guidelines vary significantly by investor.
The lender may be able to compare multiple jumbo programs after the appraisal is completed.
Non-QM Loan Effects
Non-QM programs also use LTV limits.
A lower appraisal can affect:
- Maximum loan amount
- Rate
- Points
- Prepayment-penalty options on eligible investment loans
- Reserve requirements
- Debt-service coverage
- Borrower contribution
- Property eligibility
Flexible income documentation does not eliminate collateral limits.
Investment Property Effects
Investment-property loans generally apply more conservative LTV limits than comparable primary-residence loans.
A lower appraisal can affect:
- Required down payment
- Cash flow
- DSCR
- Interest rate
- Prepaid reserves
- Maximum cash out
- Seller contributions
- Closing feasibility
If the monthly principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and association dues change, the property’s debt-service coverage may also change.
Refinance Transactions
In a refinance, a lower appraisal directly reduces recognized property value.
The result may include:
- Higher LTV
- Lower available loan amount
- Added mortgage insurance
- Worse pricing
- Reduced debt payoff
- Reduced cash out
- Ineligibility for the intended program
- Insufficient proceeds to cover closing costs
- Failure to meet seasoning or equity requirements
Unlike a purchase, there is no seller with whom to renegotiate the property price.
The homeowner must change the loan or challenge the valuation.
Rate-and-Term Refinance Example
Assume:
- Existing mortgage payoff: $400,000
- Closing costs and prepaid items: $10,000
- Proposed new loan: $410,000
- Estimated value: $525,000
- Estimated LTV: approximately 78.10%
The appraisal comes in at $500,000.
The revised LTV becomes:
- $410,000 ÷ $500,000 = 82%
If the program or borrower strategy requires 80% LTV, the maximum loan would be:
- $500,000 × 80% = $400,000
That may not be enough to cover both the payoff and costs.
Possible solutions include:
- Bringing cash to closing
- Accepting mortgage insurance
- Changing the rate or pricing
- Reducing financed costs
- Canceling the refinance
Cash-Out Refinance Example
Assume:
- Proposed loan amount: $450,000
- Estimated property value: $600,000
- Expected LTV: 75%
The appraisal comes in at $560,000.
The revised LTV is:
- $450,000 ÷ $560,000 = approximately 80.36%
If the program allows a maximum 75% LTV, the revised maximum loan becomes:
- $560,000 × 75% = $420,000
The available loan amount decreases by $30,000.
After paying the existing mortgage and closing costs, the borrower’s net cash proceeds may fall by approximately the same amount.
Debt-Consolidation Refinances
A homeowner may plan to pay off:
- Credit cards
- Auto loans
- Personal loans
- Tax obligations
- Other debts
with refinance proceeds.
A lower appraisal may leave insufficient equity to pay every planned obligation.
That can create a second problem:
If the debts cannot be paid, they remain in the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio.
The borrower may then lose approval because:
- Cash-out proceeds decreased
- Monthly debts remain
- The revised mortgage payment changed
- The debt-to-income ratio increased
The lender may need to reprioritize which debts are paid or evaluate another structure.
Interest Rate Locks and Appraisal Changes
A rate lock generally protects pricing for a defined loan structure.
If the appraisal changes the LTV, the locked pricing may need adjustment.
The lender may need to:
- Reprice the loan
- Apply a different LTV adjustment
- Change mortgage insurance
- Reduce lender credits
- Increase discount points
- Extend the lock while restructuring
- Move to a different loan program
A rate lock does not guarantee pricing for materially different loan characteristics.
Automated Underwriting Must Be Updated
The appraisal value must be entered into the lender’s system when available.
Fannie Mae’s Desktop Underwriter uses the sales price and appraised value entered by the lender to calculate LTV, CLTV, and HCLTV.
When the final appraisal differs from the estimated value, the lender generally needs to:
- Update the value
- Update the loan amount
- Update subordinate financing
- Update mortgage insurance
- Update assets
- Resubmit the loan
- Review new underwriting findings
An earlier automated approval based on the estimated value may change after resubmission.
Conditional Approval Can Change
A borrower may already have conditional mortgage approval when the appraisal is received.
That approval remains subject to acceptable property and loan terms.
A lower value can create new conditions involving:
- Revised loan amount
- Additional assets
- Mortgage insurance
- Updated disclosures
- Resubmission to automated underwriting
- Revised reserves
- Contract amendment
- Seller contribution
- Rate-lock pricing
This does not necessarily mean the borrower was improperly preapproved.
The appraisal is a property-related variable that cannot be finalized before the property is evaluated.
What If the Appraisal Is Only Slightly Low?
Even a small value difference can matter when the loan is near a threshold.
For example, a $5,000 value reduction could move the loan:
- Above 80% LTV
- Above a maximum 95% LTV
- Into another pricing bracket
- Above a mortgage-insurance threshold
- Above a jumbo investor limit
- Above a maximum CLTV
- Outside a down payment assistance rule
The percentage change matters more than the dollar amount by itself.
What If the Appraisal Is Significantly Low?
A significant shortage may require a broader decision.
The parties may consider:
- Reconsideration of value
- Purchase-price renegotiation
- Larger down payment
- Loan-program change
- Portfolio financing
- Seller financing
- Contract cancellation
- Selecting another property
The buyer should evaluate not only whether the extra cash is available, but whether paying substantially above appraised value fits the overall financial strategy.
Reconsideration of Value
If the appraisal appears factually incorrect or unsupported, the lender may permit a reconsideration-of-value request.
Useful evidence may include:
- Better comparable sales
- Incorrect square footage
- Incorrect lot size
- Missing renovations
- Incorrect condition
- Incorrect bedroom or bathroom count
- Unsupported adjustments
- Omitted property features
- Mischaracterized concessions
- Market data not considered
The request should identify specific appraisal issues.
It should not simply state that the contract price is higher.
See Reconsideration of Value: Challenging a Low Appraisal for the complete process.
The Appraisal Cannot Simply Be Ignored
The lender cannot use the contract price as the value merely because:
- The buyer loves the home
- Multiple offers were received
- The buyer agreed to waive appraisal protections
- The seller refuses to reduce the price
- The borrower has excellent credit
- The buyer can afford the payment
The lender must use an acceptable property value under the loan program.
Contract risk and mortgage eligibility are separate.
Questions to Ask After a Low Appraisal
When an appraisal changes maximum LTV, ask:
- What value is the lender using?
- What is the revised actual LTV?
- What is the program’s maximum LTV?
- What is the new maximum loan amount?
- How much additional cash is required?
- Will mortgage insurance be added or changed?
- Does the interest rate or pricing change?
- Are seller contributions still permitted?
- Will automated underwriting need to be rerun?
- Do reserve requirements change?
- Can the purchase price be renegotiated?
- Is a reconsideration of value appropriate?
- Would another loan program help?
- Does the contract contain an appraisal contingency?
- What happens to the rate lock?
- When must the buyer make a decision?
The lender should provide revised numbers—not merely state that the appraisal was low.
Common Misconceptions
“The Lender Will Finance the Purchase Price Because That Is What We Agreed to Pay.”
The purchase contract does not establish the property value used for mortgage LTV.
“If the Appraisal Is $20,000 Low, I Always Need $20,000 More.”
Not necessarily. The additional requirement depends on the maximum LTV and revised loan amount.
“A Higher Appraisal Lets Me Reduce My Down Payment.”
Purchase LTV is generally based on the lower of purchase price or appraised value.
“A Seller Credit Can Cover the Appraisal Gap.”
A credit may cover eligible closing costs, but it does not replace required equity or increase recognized value.
“Mortgage Insurance Fixes Every Low Appraisal.”
Mortgage insurance may permit an LTV above 80%, but the revised ratio still must remain within program and insurer limits.
“The Rate Lock Prevents Any Pricing Change.”
Pricing can change when the loan’s LTV or other material characteristics change.
“Excellent Credit Overrides Maximum LTV.”
Strong credit helps qualification and pricing but does not eliminate collateral limits.
“The Appraisal Only Affects the Property.”
It can also change payment, assets, debt-to-income ratio, underwriting findings, and final loan approval.
Real Lender Perspective
When an appraisal changes maximum LTV, the correct response is not simply:
“You need to bring more money.”
The lender should rebuild the entire transaction.
That means reviewing:
- Maximum loan amount
- Revised LTV
- Mortgage insurance
- Interest-rate pricing
- Seller contributions
- Cash to close
- Reserves
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Automated underwriting
- Contract options
- Alternative loan programs
Sometimes the best solution is a larger down payment.
Sometimes adding mortgage insurance preserves liquidity.
Sometimes the seller reduces the price.
Sometimes a reconsideration of value is justified.
Sometimes the appraisal reveals that the original purchase price is not adequately supported.
The strongest mortgage strategy evaluates every available option before asking the buyer to contribute additional cash.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide may be especially helpful for:
- Texas homebuyers
- First-time buyers
- Buyers using low-down-payment financing
- Conventional borrowers
- FHA borrowers
- Veterans using VA financing
- USDA borrowers
- Jumbo borrowers
- Investment-property buyers
- Homeowners refinancing
- Borrowers completing cash-out refinances
- Buyers using down payment assistance
- Buyers with appraisal-gap agreements
- Real estate agents
- Sellers responding to a low appraisal
Final Thoughts
When an appraisal changes maximum LTV, the lender must recalculate the mortgage using the final acceptable property value.
On a purchase, the value used for LTV is generally the lower of:
- Purchase price
- Appraised value
On a refinance, the current appraised value generally controls the calculation.
A lower appraisal can change:
- Maximum loan amount
- Down payment
- Cash to close
- Mortgage insurance
- Pricing
- Seller contributions
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Program eligibility
- Refinance proceeds
A higher purchase appraisal generally does not allow the buyer to finance more than the applicable percentage of the contract price.
The right response is to calculate the complete revised structure.
Before contributing more cash, determine whether the transaction can be improved through price renegotiation, mortgage insurance, a different loan program, a reconsideration of value, or another financing strategy.
The appraisal may change the numbers.
It does not automatically end the transaction.
Suggested Internal Links
- Mortgage Appraisal Process Explained
- Reconsideration of Value: Challenging a Low Appraisal
- What Happens When an Appraisal Is Subject to Repairs?
- Financing a Property With Limited Comparable Sales
- Unique Property Mortgage Financing
- Should You Put 20% Down?
- How Much Down Payment Do You Need to Buy a Home?
- Private Mortgage Insurance Explained
- Seller Credits and Mortgage Approval
- Mortgage Debt-to-Income Ratio Explained
- Calculating Your Next Mortgage Payment
- Conditional Mortgage Approval Versus Final Approval
- Why One Mortgage Lender Says No—and Another Says Yes
- How Much Emergency Savings Should You Have After Buying a Home?
- What Happens When Underwriting Changes the Loan Structure?
