Why doesn’t this match my lender’s exact rate sheet?

Every lender has its own proprietary pricing grids that change frequently with the market. This calculator uses a simplified, generic grid to show the direction and rough magnitude of adjustments rather than reproducing any specific company’s rate sheet.

Does this include all loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs)?

No. It focuses on the core relationship between FICO and LTV only. Real LLPA grids also include adjustments for cash-out, occupancy, property type, loan term, loan size, subordinate financing, and more. Treat this as a teaching tool, not a replacement for a full rate quote.

Can I use this to shop lenders or lock a rate?

You can use it to better understand how your profile might affect pricing, but you cannot use it to lock a rate or compare lenders apples-to-apples. Always rely on official Loan Estimates and lock confirmations when comparing offers or making binding decisions.

What if my score or LTV changes before closing?

Mortgage pricing is sensitive to both. If your score drops or your LTV increases (for example, due to appraised value), you may fall into a worse band and see higher adjustments. Conversely, improving your score or lowering LTV can move you into a better band. Use this calculator to explore those what-if scenarios ahead of time.

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FICO / LTV Rate Adjustment Calculator

Estimate a mortgage rate adjustment based on FICO score and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio using a sample grid.

Results

Rate adjustment (%): 37.50%

How to use this calculator

Enter your current or expected credit score (FICO). If you are not sure, you can use a recent lender disclosure, credit monitoring tool, or an approximate range.
Enter your loan-to-value ratio (LTV). This is your loan amount divided by the property value, multiplied by 100. For example, a $320,000 loan on a $400,000 home is 80% LTV.
The calculator locates your FICO band and LTV band within the sample grid and returns the matching rate adjustment.
Review the adjustment and think of it as an approximate bump to the base rate for your scenario (for example, +0.375%).
Try changing your inputs—higher FICO or a slightly larger down payment—to see how the adjustment shifts and where key thresholds may be.

Inputs explained

Credit score (FICO): Your representative FICO score for mortgage pricing. Lenders often use the middle score from three bureaus or the lower score of two, and they may use the lower of two borrowers on a joint loan. Higher scores generally lead to smaller rate adjustments.
Loan-to-value ratio (LTV): Your loan amount divided by the property value, multiplied by 100. For example, $320,000 ÷ $400,000 × 100 = 80% LTV. Lower LTVs (bigger down payments) usually mean lower risk and smaller pricing adjustments.

How it works

Behind the scenes, we use a small sample pricing grid that groups FICO scores into bands (for example, 740+, 720–739, 700–719, 680–699, etc.) and LTV into ranges (such as ≤75%, 75.01–80%, 80.01–85%, and so on).

When you enter your credit score and LTV, we find the FICO band and LTV band you fall into and look up the matching cell in the grid.

Each grid cell has an associated rate adjustment (sometimes called a loan-level price adjustment or LLPA). In practice this is usually quoted as a price hit in points, but for simplicity this calculator expresses it as an equivalent rate bump in percentage points.

Higher LTVs (smaller down payments) and lower FICO scores usually mean a larger rate adjustment, while strong scores and lower LTVs may reduce or even eliminate adjustments.

Because real lender grids are complex, our grid is intentionally simplified: it captures the general shape of adjustments without modeling every occupancy, property type, or cash-out scenario.

Formula

Conceptually, the calculator does three things:\n\n1. Determine FICO band and LTV band.\n2. Look up an adjustment value in a two-dimensional grid where each cell represents an approximate rate bump.\n3. Return that value as the rateAdjustment output you see on the page.

When to use it

Stress-testing a lender quote by seeing how a lower credit score or higher LTV could change pricing before you lock.
Exploring whether increasing your down payment enough to cross an LTV threshold (for example, from 97% to 95% or from 90% to 80%) could meaningfully reduce rate adjustments.
Helping first-time homebuyers understand why their score and down payment matter beyond just qualifying—they affect the actual rate and payment.
Comparing hypothetical scenarios (for example, paying off a credit card to raise your score versus bringing more cash to closing) to see which has more impact on adjustments.

Tips & cautions

Pay close attention to threshold points in the grid—small changes in FICO or LTV around those boundaries can produce larger jumps in the adjustment than you might expect.
If you are early in the homebuying process, use this tool alongside a payoff or credit-improvement plan to see potential benefits of increasing your score by 20–40 points.
Consider how mortgage insurance (MI) or PMI interacts with LTV. Sometimes lowering LTV not only reduces rate adjustments, it also lowers or eliminates PMI.
Remember that different loan programs (conventional, FHA, VA, non-QM) have distinct pricing structures; this calculator focuses on a simplified conventional-style grid.
This calculator uses a generic, simplified FICO/LTV grid for educational purposes and does not reflect any specific lender’s current pricing, guidelines, or lock terms.
Real-world rate sheets include many more adjustments—cash-out refinances, occupancy (primary vs. second home vs. investment), property type (condo vs. single-family), loan size, and more. Those are not modeled here.
We express adjustments as approximate rate changes, while actual LLPA grids are usually quoted as price hits in points. Your final rate depends on market pricing, points paid, and lender margins.
Results are not a loan estimate, not a lock confirmation, and not a commitment to lend. Always use official lender disclosures for decisions.

Worked examples

Example 1: Strong credit and moderate LTV

You enter a 760 credit score and 75% LTV.
The calculator maps 760 into the top FICO band (for example, 740+) and 75% into a lower-risk LTV band (≤75% or 75–80%).
The sample grid might show a very small or even zero rate adjustment for this combination, reflecting strong borrower and collateral characteristics.

Example 2: Borderline score and high LTV

You enter a 679 credit score and 95% LTV.
Your score falls into a mid-tier FICO band while your LTV falls into a higher-risk band (90–95% or 95%+).
The calculator looks up the cell for that FICO/LTV combination and might return a relatively larger adjustment, such as +0.500% to the base rate.

Example 3: Improving score vs. lowering LTV

You model scenario A with a 700 score and 95% LTV, then scenario B with a 720 score at the same LTV.
If the grid shows a meaningful difference between those FICO bands, you can see how much improving your score alone might reduce the adjustment.
You can then experiment with lowering LTV as well to see whether a slightly bigger down payment or paying closing costs out of pocket helps more.

Deep dive

Use this FICO and LTV rate adjustment calculator to see a simplified mortgage pricing grid and understand how your credit score and down payment can change your interest rate.

Enter your credit score and loan-to-value ratio to estimate a sample rate adjustment, then experiment with different scenarios to see the impact of improving credit or increasing your down payment.

Great for homebuyers, loan officers, and real estate pros who want a quick visual explanation of how FICO and LTV interact in conventional-style mortgage pricing—without digging through a full LLPA sheet.

FAQs

Why doesn’t this match my lender’s exact rate sheet?: Every lender has its own proprietary pricing grids that change frequently with the market. This calculator uses a simplified, generic grid to show the direction and rough magnitude of adjustments rather than reproducing any specific company’s rate sheet.
Does this include all loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs)?: No. It focuses on the core relationship between FICO and LTV only. Real LLPA grids also include adjustments for cash-out, occupancy, property type, loan term, loan size, subordinate financing, and more. Treat this as a teaching tool, not a replacement for a full rate quote.
Can I use this to shop lenders or lock a rate?: You can use it to better understand how your profile might affect pricing, but you cannot use it to lock a rate or compare lenders apples-to-apples. Always rely on official Loan Estimates and lock confirmations when comparing offers or making binding decisions.
What if my score or LTV changes before closing?: Mortgage pricing is sensitive to both. If your score drops or your LTV increases (for example, due to appraised value), you may fall into a worse band and see higher adjustments. Conversely, improving your score or lowering LTV can move you into a better band. Use this calculator to explore those what-if scenarios ahead of time.

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This FICO/LTV rate adjustment calculator is an educational illustration based on a simplified pricing grid. It does not represent any specific lender’s current rates or loan-level price adjustments, and it does not account for all factors that influence mortgage pricing. The outputs are estimates only and are not a Loan Estimate, rate lock, or offer of credit. Always review official lender disclosures and consult a qualified mortgage professional before making borrowing or homebuying decisions.