This means they will have to front up at least 10% in cash and/or equity in existing property holdings in order to take out an investment home loan with CommBank.
For example, a $300,000 investment home loan will now require a $30,000 cash deposit rather than a $15,000 deposit.
Alternatively, property investors could utilise equity in their existing property holdings to offset the LVR requirements.
The change is solely aimed at property investors, and will not affect loans for owner-occupiers, who will still be able to take out home loans at 95% LVR.
The news comes in the wake of warnings from the Australian Prudential and Regulation Authority (APRA) that they would intervene if any banks breached their 10% annual growth limit for property investment lending.
Financial authorities could step in again to tighten mortgage lending to investors amid concerns banks are making riskier loans. #9Finance pic.twitter.com/IrwtrGooNz
— 9Finance (@9Finance) March 14, 2017
Commonwealth Bank Executive General Manager of Home Buying, Dan Huggins, said the bank is “constantly reviewing” their home loan portfolio.
“Today’s change will enable us to meet our customers’ needs, while further strengthening our high quality home loan business and ensuring we continue to meet our responsible lending and regulatory obligations,” Huggins said.
The change follows a month after Commonwealth Bank’s announcement that it would not accept any more applications for refinancing investment home loans through intermediaries until further notice.
.@CommBank will stop accepting refinancing applications for investment home loans from next week. #ausbiz #7News https://t.co/zRrPmd0PpK
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) February 8, 2017
The bank also recently raised interest rates on interest only investment home loans by 12 basis points.
This happened after it announced a record-high profit for the first half of the financial year, having increased their statutory net profit by six per cent to $4.9 billion.
Maximum LVRs with other lenders
CBA is far from the only bank to have a maximum LVR limit of less than 95% on its home loan products. Around one third of all home loan products on Canstar’s database have a maximum LVR of less than 95%.
Out of the standard investment home loans offered by the ‘big four’ banks, LVR restrictions range from 90% to 80%.
ANZ’s and NAB’s investment products have a maximum LVR of 90%, while Westpac’s have an 80% LVR restriction.
Some ANZ Investment Home Loans
| Home Loan Product | Max LVR |
| Breakfree Investment Fixed 2 yrs 150k+ | 90% |
| Breakfree Investment Fixed 3 yrs 150k+ | 90% |
| Breakfree Investment Variable 250-499k | 90% |
| Investment Fixed 2 yrs | 90% |
| Investment Fixed 3 yrs | 90% |
| Investment Simplicity Plus | 90% |
| Investment Variable | 90% |
Some NAB Investment Home Loans
| Home Loan Product | Max LVR |
| Choice Package Inv Standard Fixed 2 yrs 150k+ | 90% |
| Choice Package Inv Standard Fixed 3 yrs 150k+ | 90% |
| Choice Package Investment Tailored Variable – P&I 250-499k | 90% |
| Inv Standard Fixed 2 yrs | 90% |
| Inv Standard Fixed 3 yrs | 90% |
| Investment Tailored Variable – P&I | 90% |
Some Westpac Investment Home Loans
| Home Loan Product | Max LVR |
| Investment Fixed 2 yrs | 80% |
| Investment Fixed 3 yrs | 80% |
| Investment Flexi First Option P&I | 80% |
| Premier Advantage Investment Fixed 2 yrs 150k+ | 80% |
| Premier Advantage Investment Fixed 3 yrs 150k+ | 80% |
| Premier Advantage Rocket Investment Loan P&I 250-499k | 80% |
| Rocket Investment Loan P&I | 80% |
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