AmTrust Financial Corp. announced it stopped granting loans that exceed 95% of a home’s value. First Horizon raised rates on Alt-A and jumbo loans in the past two weeks, Bloomberg News reported. LTV (Loan to value) is becoming a factor as it always was back before creative mortgages caused us to lose track of LTV. The slowdown in the U.S. housing market is entering its third year and will certainly continue if mortgage standards tighten. Lack standards have been blamed for huge losses in subprime and almost prime lending.