Bulgaria housing loans up 26.4% as average Sofia mortgage nears 180,000 euros
Although fewer properties are changing hands, Bulgarians are taking out more mortgages. An analysis points to rising property prices as the main driver.
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Housing lending in Bulgaria rose 26.4% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, even though activity on the property market stayed below last year's level, according to an analysis by loan broker Credit Manager published by the BTA news agency. Contractual mortgages rose to 15,482, up 13% from the previous quarter and 9.8% from a year earlier.
The average loan in Sofia is now 170,000 to 180,000 euros and about 140,000 euros nationwide, compared with 140,000 to 150,000 euros in the capital and 100,000 to 120,000 euros nationally in 2025. The analysis cites rising property prices as the main reason; clients usually borrow the maximum available and choose the longest term to keep monthly payments low. Consumer lending grew by about 14.8%.