Less 10,000 euros in two months: the personal contribution to obtain a property loan has seen a significant drop

Le niveau de l'apport personnel moyen est en net recul. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP – Jean-Luc Flémal

Les apports exigés par les banques pour octroyer un crédit sont en nette baisse depuis décembre dernier.

Good news for those who wish to buy real estate: after a historic surge over the last three years, the level of personal contribution is starting to fall sharply again. 

At the national level, it amounts to around 54,800 euros per credit compared to just under 65,000 euros in December 2023, a drop of 10,000 euros in two months, which reflects a decline of nearly 18.5%, as highlighted by BFMTV. 

– 30% in Occitanie

It is in the southern half of New Aquitaine, particularly around Bordeaux, that the decline is greatest, with an average drop of 45% in two months. It is around 30% in Occitanie, Loire-Atlantique, Vendé and Brittany. 

If in Ile-de-France the average contribution remains the highest, it also drops significantly to 150,800 euros per credit in February compared to 230,300 euros in December. 

This generalized decline can be explained firstly by the desire of banks to produce more credit, which to do so is relaxing their borrowing conditions. This trend allows borrowers to keep savings immediately available, essential in the event of a hard hit or  to cope with inflation and current expenses. 

Strategies to minimize personal contribution

Faced with this opportunity, future buyers have several strategies to reduce their personal contribution as much as possible: open savings accounts with their bank, highlight recurring professional bonuses, or even highlighting the savings generated by the real estate project (such as the reduction in fuel costs or the energy savings of eco-friendly housing) are all levers to be activated.

Note, however, that despite the drop in the average personal contribution, we are still at 33% of necessary contribution, according to Finance Conseil. The average real estate rate has hovered around 4% since the start of the year.