Top Investment Property HELOC Providers at 70% Combined Loan-to-Value

The Quick Read: The lenders that write investment-property equity lines are a small group, and the right one depends on your title, credit, and how much debt already sits on the rental. Across Lendmire’s wholesale network, an investment line tops out at 70% combined loan-to-value (CLTV). The line is capped at $500,000, and the whole limit counts against the 70% whether you draw it or not. Lendmire is a mortgage broker, so it matches the file to a lender instead of ranking companies.

• Borrowing starts at $25,000, and a 700 credit profile is the minimum.
• The borrower is underwritten on personal credit, DTI, and equity. Rent coverage is not the test.
• An LLC cannot hold title. Individual or revocable trust vesting is required.
• If the rental sits in an LLC or you need more leverage, a DSCR cash-out is the usual alternative.

Why a Ranked List of Providers Does Not Exist Here

A ranked list would mislead you. NerdWallet reports that an investment-property HELOC is possible, but the lender pool is smaller and borrowing limits are lower than on a primary home. Not every lender offers the product, and requirements are stricter.

That changes the question. You are not picking a favorite company. You are finding which lender’s program fits your property type, vesting, credit, and existing debt.

A broker shops several wholesale lenders against one scenario. Lendmire arranges these lines through that network. It does not lend, and every figure here is subject to lender guidelines and full file review.

Equity lines through the network are also available in a narrower set of states than the DSCR footprint. Lendmire’s full-service HELOC program is offered in 16 states, while its DSCR investor programs cover 41 markets, including Washington, D.C.

How Does 70% Combined Loan-to-Value Work?

Combined loan-to-value adds every loan secured by the property and divides the total by the property’s value. A 70% ceiling means your first mortgage plus the new line cannot exceed 70% of value. Take 70% of value, subtract every recorded lien, and you have the room. The $500,000 cap then applies to whatever is left.

The full credit limit counts, not just the drawn balance. An undrawn line still uses up room.

The binding limit differs by property. On a heavily mortgaged rental, the percentage cap binds first. On a high-value rental with little debt, the dollar cap binds first.

What Do Lenders Look For on These Files?

Lenders look at the borrower first. The review covers personal credit, DTI, equity, valuation, title, and property type.

Credit. The minimum profile is 700. A 720 score reaches the same 70% ceiling as a 700, so a higher score buys eligibility, not leverage. The score model is a single bureau score keyed to the primary wage earner, and the report can be no more than 90 days old at closing.

DTI. The maximum is 50%. The lender reviews your file on the interest-only payment calculated on the full line, not on what you plan to draw. NerdWallet puts typical bank-style rental-HELOC DTI limits at 40% to 50%, which is broadly in line.

Credit events. A bankruptcy needs 4 years of seasoning from discharge or dismissal. On investment files, a foreclosure needs 7 years. A deed-in-lieu, pre-foreclosure, or short sale needs 4.

Documents. Expect a current first-mortgage statement, an insurance declaration, and the vesting deed. The lender may also ask for a current lease and other rent evidence. Some lenders discount rent or ignore it, because rent is a document request here, not the qualifying test.

Which Property Types and Titles Qualify?

Eligible property types are single-family, 2-4 units, PUDs, townhomes, and condominiums, including non-warrantable condos. A condo building still has to pass condo review.

Not eligible: manufactured homes, co-ops, condotels, log homes, commercial or mixed-use property, and agricultural zoning.

The borrower must hold title as an individual or in an inter vivos revocable living trust. LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and irrevocable, blind, or land trusts cannot hold title. A funded revocable trust works when the deed names the trust and the trustee has borrowing power.

If the rental already sits in an LLC, there are two paths. You can change the vesting before applying, or you can use a different product such as a DSCR cash-out. Moving title has its own consequences, so settle that before ordering anything.

Two more limits matter for portfolio owners. A borrower can hold only three lines at a time. An owner of more than 15 financed properties is not eligible. A property listed for sale, or listed within the past 60 days, is ineligible in several states.

Valuation, Joint Ownership, and Other Friction Points

Because an investment line caps at $500,000, and full appraisals are required only on lines above that figure, these lines usually run on an automated valuation. A higher CLTV may call for a secondary valuation. A borrower can also ask for a full appraisal in any case. Some rental HELOCs require multiple appraisals, so valuation rules vary by lender.

On a jointly owned property, the cap is measured against the whole property’s value. Ownership share does not change it. Generally every titled owner signs the lien.

The line can sit in first or second lien position. Putting it on the rental keeps your primary home out of the deal. It also means the rental now carries the debt.

How the Line Behaves After Closing

Investment lines run a 5-year interest-only draw, then a 25-year fully amortizing repayment. The CFPB explains that HELOCs have a draw period followed by repayment, and usually carry a variable rate. It also notes some HELOCs let you convert part of the balance to a fixed rate. The network’s investment line does not offer that option. Pricing floats through both periods and never converts. The CFPB’s consumer booklet describes the same draw and repayment structure.

For a long hold, that matters. A floating line makes it harder to plan a rental’s long-term numbers. Many investors use the line as a bridge, for a cash purchase or a partner buyout, then retire it with longer-term financing. That only works if both the line and the exit loan clear.

Minimum subsequent draw after closing is generally $1,000, though it varies by lender and state.

Line vs. DSCR Cash-Out: Which Fits?

A line sits beside your first mortgage and leaves it alone. A cash-out refinance replaces it. A DSCR loan is reviewed primarily on property-level rental income covering the payment, subject to lender guidelines. The complete DSCR loans guide walks through that math in full.

Short-term-rental collateral on a DSCR cash-out tops out at 70% LTV, and about 6 months of seasoning is the common expectation on a DSCR cash-out. DSCR floors start at 1.00 on select programs. Coverage below 1.00 is available through select lenders in the network, with leverage and terms adjusted. Clearing 1.00 is not the same as positive cash flow, because repairs, vacancy, and management sit outside the ratio. Every figure here varies by lender and program — guidelines, property type, leverage, and credit profile all apply.

For lender-matching on a 70% line specifically, Lendmire covers who offers a DSCR HELOC on an investment property at 70% loan-to-value.

The decision usually comes down to a few facts. The line fits when you hold title personally or in a revocable trust, your credit and DTI are strong, and your first mortgage is well under 70% of value. DSCR fits when the property is in an LLC, when the first mortgage is too large, or when you want rent-based underwriting.

How to Pick a Provider for Your Situation

The best program for your situation depends on these inputs. Work through them before any credit pull.

1. Compute your CLTV room using the formula above, with every lien counted. 2. Confirm how title is held and whether a trust or vesting change is needed. 3. Check your credit against the 700 floor and your DTI against the 50% limit. 4. Confirm the property type is eligible and the state allows the line. 5. Decide whether the line is a short bridge or a long hold, since pricing floats.

A broker can run those inputs against several wholesale lenders at once. That is the practical edge over applying one bank at a time.

Key Terms Defined

Combined loan-to-value (CLTV): all loans secured by the property, added together, divided by the property’s value.

HELOC: a revolving equity line with a draw period followed by a repayment period.

Draw period: the stretch when you can borrow against the line, usually interest-only.

DSCR: the ratio of rent to the full monthly obligation (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and any HOA dues).

Vesting: how title to the property is legally held, such as an individual, trust, or LLC.

Automated valuation: a model-based value estimate used in place of a traditional appraisal.

Next Step

If you are considering a home equity line and want to see how the numbers work, Lendmire can help you compare HELOC options based on the property, the equity available, credit profile, combined leverage, and your goals. Programs change, every file is underwritten individually, and nothing here is a commitment to lend. Lendmire’s editable calculator offers an illustrative estimate only. It does not provide a quote.

Investors who run the lien math before they call tend to find out quickly whether the line or a DSCR cash-out is the cleaner fit for the rental.

About Lendmire

Lendmire (NMLS# 2371349) is a mortgage brokerage serving homeowners and real estate investors in its 16 full-service states. Home equity lines of credit are arranged through wholesale lending channels; Lendmire brokers the line and the lender underwrites each application under its occupancy-based guidelines. Scotsman Guide named Lendmire a Top Mortgage Workplace in both 2025 and 2026.

References

1. NerdWallet

2. CFPB

3. CFPB – What You Should Know About HELOCs booklet