Austria: From 2026 onwards, access to residential mortgage financing has become significantly easier again
From the beginning of 2026, residential property financing in Austria has become noticeably more accessible. This development is primarily due to the fact that banks' internal exemption quotas have once again become fully available at the start of the year. As a result, lending institutions now enjoy considerably greater flexibility in residential mortgage financing, although the specific application principles continue to vary significantly from one bank to another.
Building on the results achieved in previous years, our office renegotiates financing conditions with its partner banks every January. This annual process ensures that our clients' individual needs and personal circumstances are represented as effectively as possible under the prevailing market conditions of the respective year.
One of the central topics of these discussions is, naturally, the equity contribution required from borrowers. Thanks to close coordination with banks and careful structuring, it has again been possible to maintain equity requirements at a comparatively low yet prudently manageable risk level for 2026. Already in 2025, our clients required on average only around 13% in own funds — a markedly favourable position compared to the national average. This trend is continuing in 2026, increasingly supported by automated assessment processes.
For transactions involving high loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, a key prerequisite remains that the purchase price accurately reflects the property's fair market value. Where this condition is met, banks — particularly in cases involving substantial intermediary volumes — may be willing to finance up to 100% of the purchase price. In such cases, borrowers are left to cover only the registration-related costs. Combined with the exemption from land registry and mortgage registration fees valid until 30 June 2026, this made it possible in 2025 for several clients to acquire properties in private sales with equity contributions of as little as 5%.
As every client's background is unique and banks' risk appetites naturally differ, the greatest challenge consistently lies in thoroughly assessing, preparing and positioning each applicant, as well as selecting the most suitable financial institution for the given constellation. This is precisely where our office's core strength lies: we conduct comprehensive assessments and prepare our clients individually, ensuring they are optimally positioned to achieve their intended objectives.
Over the past nearly fifteen years, we have been involved in more than 3,000 creditworthiness assessments — an outstanding figure even by national standards, representing a depth of experience that constitutes a clear competitive advantage, including in international markets. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our clients for their continued trust, positive feedback, and above all for their recommendations. These referrals remain our most important indicator, as they most clearly reflect sustained client satisfaction. Thank you very much.
