In Türkiye, the share of a home's price that a bank can finance with a mortgage is set by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK). The rules were overhauled at the end of January 2026, and they shape what buyers need to bring as a down payment.
One table for new and resale homes
Previously, Türkiye applied different loan-to-value (LTV) ratios to new and second-hand homes. The BDDK abolished that distinction, so the status of the property as first-hand or resale no longer matters for the calculation. Instead, a single table now applies to all purchases, based on two factors: the value of the home and its energy performance class.
Homes built after 2010 with an energy class of at least C qualify for more favourable ratios. The stated aim is to encourage purchases of energy-efficient and relatively earthquake-resistant newer buildings, while continuing to support first-time buyers.
The ratios
According to the table reported by Bloomberg HT, the maximum share that can be financed is:
For homes worth up to 5 million liras: 90% for energy class A or B, 80% for class C and 70% for other homes.
For homes worth 5 million to 7 million liras: 80%, 70% and 60% respectively.
For homes worth 7 million to 10 million liras: 70%, 60% and 50%.
For homes worth more than 10 million liras: 50%, 40% and 30%.
Under these rules, a buyer of an older, lower-rated home worth 8 million liras could borrow at most half its value, while the same priced home with an A or B certificate could be 70% financed.
The ratios are lower for buyers who already own property. If the borrower, their spouse or their children under 18 already own at least one home, reduced LTV limits apply, in line with the goal of directing credit towards first-time buyers.
Mortgage lending has grown in 2026, with TurkStat data showing mortgaged home sales up 27.6% in January–August from a year earlier. However, borrowing remains expensive: average housing loan rates were close to 42% in September, with the central bank's policy rate at 37%.
The BDDK ratios are maximum limits; individual banks set their own lending criteria within them.
Sources
- Ekonomide koordineli düzenlemeler (Bloomberg HT)
- Konut kredilerinde ezber bozuldu! BDDK'dan kritik değişiklik (CNN Türk)
- Kredi faizlerinde beklenmeyen makas (Politikam)
Photo: Manameric at Turkish Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
