If you’re struggling to increase your home deposit, you may be in for a reprieve – the price distinction between 95% and 90% loan-to-value mortgages is shrinking. But is it a good idea to lock into a 95% mortgage deal or in the event you keep saving up for a larger deposit?
New data from Moneyfacts shows the gap between rates charged for two-year fixed 95% and 90% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages is falling, and is now at its narrowest since February 2013.
Here we glance at why 95% mortgages are becoming cheaper and whether you should apply for a mortgage deal now while rates are low.
The interest rate war: 95% mortgages vs 90% mortgages
The type of loan gap on 95% and 90% two-year fixed-rate mortgages was 0.65% in February 2022, down from 0.77% in January 2022, according to the latest Moneyfacts data.
This is both because 95% mortgages are becoming cheaper and 90% mortgages are growing more costly. The typical mortgage rate for 95% LTV mortgages fell by 0.95% to 3.3% from October 2022 until today, while 90% LTV mortgages rose 0.03% to 2.65% over the same period.
Generally speaking, the higher the LTV (and then the smaller your deposit), the larger your interest rate will be. Having a minimal deposit, the lending company faces a greater risk should you default on your mortgage.
The counter-trend towards cheaper 95% deals might be explained by providers attempting to compete within the first-time buyer market, vying to secure more loans from these customers.
The table below shows the change between 95% and 90% LTV mortgage rates.
| Max 90% LTV average rate | Max 95% LTV average rate | Margin related to risk | |
| Today | 2.65% | 3.3% | 0.65% |
| Jan 2022 | 2.69% | 3.46% | 0.77% |
| Oct 2022 | 2.62% | 4.19% | 1.57% |
| Feb 2013 | 4.8% | 5.43% | 0.63% |
Cheapest 95% deals available right now
We've investigated the information to find out what providers are offering the least expensive 95% LTV home loan rates.
The table below shows the very best three cheapest initial rates available on two-year fixed-rate deals.
| Provider | Initial rate | Revert rate | APRC* | Fees |
| Progressive BS | 1.99% | 5% | 4.61% | None |
| Loughborough BS | 1.99% | 5.34% | 4.7% | lb999 |
| Teachers BS | 2.49% | 5.24% | 5% | lb1,098 |
95% mortgages pitfalls
Buying with a smaller deposit can allow you to definitely save less and purchase sooner, or leave more of your savings in your pocket. But when you are looking for a 95% mortgage, there are several factors to understand which means you do not get trapped.
High revert rates
While some major banks offer 95% deals, the lowest home loan rates are often offered by building societies.
If you choose to borrow from the smaller building society, it's particularly important to remortgage at the end of your fixed term, as building societies usually have revert rates (also referred to as standard variable rates) which are considerably higher than the main banks.
Loan size
Think about your loan size and just how much you’ll need to borrow overall. Some of the cheapest first-time buyer mortgages have rules on the minimum or maximum loan size.
For example, some deals is only going to accept a maximum loan as high as lb350,000 – which, with a deposit of 5%, would limit you to definitely purchasing a home for lb367,500 or less. Although this could be an ample amount in many areas of the UK, may possibly not go far if you're purchasing a home working in london.
The lender will even consider whether you really can afford the repayments and, generally, may limit you to borrowing four times your income.
Maximum lending term
With house prices becoming less affordable, buyers with small deposits are increasingly opting for a 30, 35 or even 40-year mortgage term. This lets you disseminate your repayments over a longer time period, lowering your monthly payments.
While most banks offer maximum limits of 35 or 40 years, a few of the smaller building societies impose maximum terms of 25 years on their first-time buyer deals.
Is it easier to conserve a bigger deposit?
While the gap between 90% and 95% LTV mortgages has narrowed, you’re still likely to find lower rates should you save for any bit longer and make up a larger deposit. During the period of your mortgage, you’re likely to save a considerable amount by borrowing less initially at a lower rate.
Keep in mind that owning just 5% of your dwelling can put you at and the higher chances of slipping into negative equity if house prices fall, meaning you can wind up owing more than the home may be worth. The greater deposit you place down initially, the more of the buffer you have against house price dips, specially in the early years before your repayments have shrunk the loan.
Check out our guide on how to save for a mortgage deposit for tips on building up your funds.
Alternatives to 95% mortgage
If you can't hold off on purchasing a property, there are a variety of schemes available that could work as an alternative choice to a 95% mortgage.
Help to Buy
The Help to Buy scheme allows borrowers in England and Wales to get a 20% equity loan in the government when buying a new-build home. In Scotland, it's 15% as well as in London, it's 40%.
This means you can use a 5% deposit and get a home loan for that remaining amount – either 55% in London, 80% in Scotland or 75% within the remaining UK – potentially unlocking reduced rates.
While Assistance to Buy continues to be incredibly popular, some homeowners have experienced issues when remortgaging by having an outstanding equity loan and you'll have to start paying interest around the equity loan following the first five years.
Shared ownership
Shared ownership enables you to buy a share of the property – usually between 25% and 75% – and pay rent to a housing association on the remaining portion.
Some shared ownership schemes permit you to boost the share of the property you own at a later date through a process called 'staircasing', but this can be challenging and often costly.
Rent to Buy
Rent to Buy was brought to help people save enough of a deposit to get onto the property ladder. The scheme enables you to rent a home at 20% below the normal market rate for approximately 5 years.
During this time you will get the option to either purchase the entire property or purchase a part of it through shared ownership.
The number of Rent to Buy properties available is very limited and you may have to pass additional eligibility criteria depending on the housing association that the rentals are offered under.
