Low-deposit mortgage availability remains elevated despite shorter product shelf life
Mortgage product shelf life declined steadily year-on-year from November 2025, falling to 16 days in May 2026 before reaching its lowest point in October.
The average shelf life of a mortgage product recovered slightly in November, rising to 17 days from a low of 13 days in October.
Despite the shorter shelf life of products, availability for borrowers with smaller deposits remained higher than two years ago.
Low-deposit choice stable
At 95% loan to value (LTV), product availability increased from 465 in November 2025 to 474 in November 2026, a rise of nine products.
Availability was also higher than the 436 products recorded in May 2026, representing an increase of 38 products. Product numbers rose from 468 in October 2026 to 474 in November 2026.
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At 90% LTV, product numbers increased from 897 in November 2025 to 900 in November 2026, a rise of three products.
Availability was higher than the 871 products recorded in May 2026, an increase of 29 products. However, product numbers fell from 924 in October 2026 to 900 in November 2026.
Taken together, products at 90% and 95% LTV accounted for around a quarter of all mortgage products available in November 2026.
Product churn continues across the market
Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfacts, said: “The churn of mortgage products continued in October, with rises and falls at opposite ends of the loan-to-value (LTV) spectrum.
“Over this period, the idea of stepping onto the first rung of a property ladder is losing its appeal and is being bypassed. Instead, the desire for a bigger home for longer is making up a higher share of purchases.
“Skipping smaller starter homes altogether can disrupt the circulation of property, which could have the repercussion of bottlenecking the wider market. New buyers are borrowing bigger loans against properties as a result.”
Higher-LTV rates remain elevated
At 95% LTV, the average two-year fixed rate rose from 5.83% in November 2024 to 6.37% in November 2026, an increase of 0.54 percentage points. The average five-year fixed rate increased climbed from 5.4% to 6.33% over the same period.
Meanwhile, at 90% LTV, the average two-year fixed rate increased from 5.7% to 6.19%, while the average five-year fixed rate rose from 5.24% to 6.09%.
Springall added: “As affordable housing remains in short supply, lenders will need to work hard to loosen affordability barriers without increasing risk in line with new rules, and continue to innovate products to help new buyers and support their existing mortgage customers.”
