Top HELOC Providers to Borrow Up to 90% of Your Home’s Value

The Quick Read: The best provider for a 90% line depends on your situation, because only a minority of wholesale lenders write that high and each sets its own conditions. On the network Lendmire brokers through, 90% combined loan-to-value (CLTV) exists only on a primary residence or second home with a 720 or better credit profile. Investment-property lines top out at 70% CLTV.

• 90% CLTV is a ceiling tied to occupancy, credit, and line size, not a general entitlement.
• On a primary residence, 90% CLTV applies to lines up to $500,000 at 720+. A larger line, up to $750,000, drops to 75% CLTV.
• On an investment property, the ceiling is 70% CLTV with a line cap of $500,000.
• A home equity line is underwritten on the borrower and the collateral, not on rental income.
• Lendmire is a broker. It matches the file to a wholesale program, and the lender decides.

This explainer does not rank companies. The right fit comes from the property, the credit profile, and how much combined leverage the file can carry. A broker that shops several wholesale lenders can match those facts to a program.

What Does “Up to 90%” Actually Mean?

It is a combined loan-to-value ceiling. CLTV adds every lien on the home and divides by the home’s value. A line at 90% CLTV does not mean you borrow 90% of the value. It means the first mortgage plus the new line cannot exceed 90%.

The formula is plain: value times the CLTV cap, minus what you already owe. Run it on a home with a moderate first mortgage and the room left is the line. Run it on a home with a large first mortgage and there may be little or none.

Market-wide, Experian reports that most lenders cap CLTV at 85%, with some going to 90% or even 100%. So 90% is the high end of the market, not the norm. On the network Lendmire works with, the 90% tier is real, but it is narrow and conditional.

How Does Underwriting Treat a High-CLTV Line?

Underwriting weighs the borrower first and the property second. Here is the order a file moves through.

1. Value the property. Lines at or below $500,000 ordinarily run an automated valuation with no traditional appraisal, though a higher CLTV may trigger a secondary valuation. Every line above $500,000 requires a full appraisal. A borrower may also request one.

2. Apply the CLTV cap. The cap follows credit tier and occupancy. Occupancy is the first filter, and credit sets the tier inside it.

3. Underwrite the borrower. Maximum debt-to-income (DTI) is 50%, and 45% for profiles from 600 to 679. A ratio above 45% needs a 680 minimum. The payment is qualified on the interest-only amount at the maximum draw.

4. Check credit and history. The program floor is 600. The model is a single-bureau score keyed to the primary wage earner. The report can be no more than 90 days old at closing, and there are no rescores.

5. Clear title and vesting. The line sits in first or second lien position. Title must be held by the individual or a revocable living trust.

Because the line is underwritten on the borrower, it counts as personal debt and can affect later DTI-based approvals.

The CLTV Ladder on a Primary Residence

On a primary residence the ceiling moves with the score. Each tier below applies subject to lender guidelines and full file review.

At 720, the borrower faces a real tradeoff. The 90% tier tops out at $500,000. A larger line, up to $750,000, is available only at 75% CLTV, with a full appraisal, on a primary residence. That larger line opens at a 700 or better credit profile (720 on the longer-runway structure described below). Pick leverage or size. The file does not get both.

Second homes reach the same 90% ceiling at a 720 or better profile. A second home must be a true second home, not a rental. A property used as a rental falls into the investment tier.

Where the 90% Breaks Down: Investment Properties

An investment-property line is capped at 70% CLTV. There is no tier above it. The minimum credit score is 700, and the line cap is $500,000. A 740 score does not buy more leverage than a 700 does.

Rentals are harder to place across the wider market too. Investor-forum commentary on BiggerPockets notes that the equity you can access is usually lower on an investment property than on a primary residence. It adds that leverage depends on occupancy, property type, and credit.

A 90% line is a primary-residence product, so it puts your own home behind the debt. A line on a rental keeps the risk on the investment asset, usually at lower leverage. That is the trade.

What Structures Exist?

A home equity line is a revolving, secured line of credit. The FTC describes it as similar to a credit card, except the home secures it. Payments are due on what you borrow, not the full line.

Two draw structures exist on primary residences and second homes:

• A 3-year interest-only draw with a 17-year fully amortizing repayment.
• A 5-year interest-only draw with a 25-year fully amortizing repayment. This is the longer-runway structure.

Tennessee shortens both, to 3 years with 12 years and 5 years with 10 years. Investment lines run the 5-year draw and 25-year repayment structure only.

Other terms that matter:

• A standalone line can sit in first or second lien position.
• At least 75% of the line is drawn at closing. That makes it behave closer to a loan than a flexible reserve.
• Pricing floats through both the draw and repayment periods and never converts to fixed.
• Line sizes run from $25,000 to $750,000. Michigan’s floor is $10,000.
• After closing, the minimum subsequent draw on the longer-runway structure is $1,000, or $4,000 in Texas.

Why the Payment Jump Matters

Draw periods end. The CFPB explains that borrowing stops and the lender sets a repayment schedule, and that payments are often significantly higher. It also warns you could lose your home if you cannot repay on schedule. Some plans can demand the full balance at the end of the draw. Plan for that on day one.

On a 90% line, there is little equity cushion. A modest drop in value can leave the combined debt above what the home is worth. A lender can stop advances under conditions written into the agreement. Stress-test the repayment payment, not the draw payment.

Who Fits and Who Does Not

A 90% line fits a homeowner with a strong credit profile, a moderate first mortgage, and a clear reason to borrow. It does not fit someone who needs the money for cash flow on a rental, or whose score sits below 720.

It also does not fit the borrower whose property is held in an entity. LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and irrevocable, blind, or land trusts cannot hold title. Only the individual or an inter vivos revocable living trust can. A property already deeded to an LLC needs a vesting change, or a DSCR cash-out instead. This is the sharpest structural difference from a DSCR loan.

Other gates to check before applying:

• Business bank accounts. They require a 680 minimum for the deposit analysis. A 640 borrower can qualify for the line but cannot use business accounts.
• Exposure. A borrower is limited to three lines. Combined exposure caps at $2,000,000 on the higher-leverage program and $750,000 on the longer-runway one. Owning more than 15 financed properties makes a borrower ineligible.
• Property type. Eligible types are single-family, 2-4 units (640 minimum on the longer-runway program), PUD, townhome, and condominium, including non-warrantable. Modular homes are eligible on the longer-runway program only. Manufactured homes, co-ops, condotels, log homes, commercial, mixed-use, and agricultural zoning are not eligible.
• Derogatory history. A bankruptcy needs 4 years of seasoning from discharge or dismissal. On primary residences and second homes, one program seasons a foreclosure at 7 years and a deed-in-lieu, pre-foreclosure, or short sale at 4. The other declines that history regardless of age.
• State rules. Availability is limited to Lendmire’s 16 full-service states: AL, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, MI, MT, NM, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA, and WA. That is narrower than the 41-market DSCR footprint. A Texas primary residence is a homestead and caps at 80% CLTV, so the higher tiers never apply there.

Key Terms Defined

CLTV (combined loan-to-value): every lien on the home divided by the home’s value.

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

Repayment period: the stretch after the draw ends, when the balance amortizes and payments rise.

Lien position: whether the line sits behind a first mortgage or stands as the first lien.

Vesting: how title to the property is held, such as an individual or a revocable living trust.

DSCR: rent compared with the property’s monthly debt payment. It is the test on investor loans, not on an equity line.

The DSCR Alternative for Rentals

When the goal is cash from a rental, a different product fits better. A DSCR loan is reviewed primarily on property-level rental income covering the payment, subject to lender guidelines. It is designed for non-owner-occupied investment properties. The loan is not underwritten on your personal income the way an equity line is.

Across Lendmire’s wholesale network, a DSCR cash-out refinance tops out around 75% LTV on standard rentals, with about 6 months of seasoning as the common expectation. Short-term rental cash-out sits at 70%. Coverage of 1.00 is where select programs start, and stronger ratios open better pricing and leverage. A separate select-lender path takes coverage below 1.00, with leverage and terms adjusted. Entity ownership works on the DSCR side, subject to program terms. Every figure here varies by lender and program — guidelines, property type, leverage, and credit profile all apply.

Clearing 1.00 is not the same as positive cash flow. Repairs, vacancy, management, and capex sit outside the calculation. See the complete DSCR loans guide for how the ratio is built.

How to Find the Right Provider Through a Broker

A broker compares programs against your file instead of selling one product. Prepare these before the conversation:

1. Occupancy of the property: primary, second home, or investment. 2. A current credit score and recent history on every financed property. 3. The first mortgage balance and a realistic value estimate. 4. Title and vesting documents, including any trust. 5. Your intended draw amount, and whether you need more than $500,000.

Then ask each program the same questions. What is the maximum CLTV for my score and occupancy? What are the draw and repayment terms? How much must be drawn at closing? Is there a full appraisal requirement? The answers decide the fit more than any ranking could.

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. Call 828-256-2183 or request a quote.

For current guidelines and terms, see Lendmire’s home equity page.

About Lendmire

Lendmire — NMLS# 2371349 — is a mortgage broker that arranges home equity lines of credit in its 16 full-service states through wholesale lenders, on primary residences, second homes and investment properties. Every line is subject to the lender’s guidelines and full underwriting. Scotsman Guide named Lendmire a Top Mortgage Workplace in both 2025 and 2026.

References

1. Experian

2. BiggerPockets – HELOC Minimums for LTV, primary vs rental

3. FTC – Home Equity Loans and HELOCs

4. CFPB