Demand for housing loans in Greece was almost unchanged in the third quarter of 2026, and banks kept their credit standards steady, according to the Bank of Greece’s Bank Lending Survey published on 27 October 2026.
Terms and conditions on housing loans tightened somewhat in the quarter, the Bank of Greece (the central bank) said. The reason was non-interest rate charges. The share of rejected applications was unchanged.
Banks expect both credit standards and demand for housing loans to stay unchanged in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Household credit grows 2.3% a year
Separate Bank of Greece data on bank credit and deposits, published the same day, show a net increase of €126 million in bank credit to individuals in September 2026. In August there was a net decrease of €10 million. The annual growth rate was 2.3%, against 2.4% in August.
The release does not split housing loans from consumer credit. Credit to the private sector as a whole grew 6.0% a year, down from 7.3% in August. Household deposits rose by €428 million in September, and their annual growth rate rose to 3.9% from 3.5%.
What it means for buyers
For buyers who plan to use a Greek mortgage, the survey points to no change in how banks assess applications into the end of 2026. The Bank of Greece said the tightening in loan terms came from charges other than interest, not from interest rates. The Bank of Greece’s caps on loan size, at 90% of the property’s value for first-time buyers and 80% for others, remain in place, as we reported from its October 2026 Financial Stability Review.
What happens next
The Bank of Greece will publish the survey for the fourth quarter of 2026 on 2 February 2027.
