Near-zero mortgages are replacing installments: Muscovites are changing their financial strategy

Installment plans, which until recently seemed like a convenient solution against the backdrop of a high key rate, are gradually losing popularity. As Yulia Arkhangelskaya, head of the commercial services department at the development company Mangazeya, notes, interest is declining, in particular, among potential home buyers and banks.

The main reason, according to her, is growing uncertainty. As the expert notes, it is difficult for buyers to predict in advance whether a family will be able to pay off a large sum in a year - for example, by selling a car, a summer house or receiving an inheritance. The sale of such assets, she explains, may be delayed or not meet expectations in terms of cost.

Against this background, mortgage programs with a near-zero rate for the first year are becoming increasingly attractive to buyers. According to a study of developers, such a scheme is interesting to every fourth respondent, and every second is ready to consider this option if more detailed information is available.

This approach is increasingly perceived as a strategy rather than a compromise. Buyers are becoming more cautious, and for them, a mortgage with a near-zero rate is not just an alternative, but a way of financial planning with the possibility of adapting to future economic conditions.

27% of survey participants consider this tool convenient, for 29% it is an acceptable way to solve the housing issue in the current reality.

According to Yulia Arkhangelskaya, one of the key advantages of a short-term mortgage at a low interest rate for buyers is the opportunity to save a significant amount. Unlike installments, where in the vast majority of cases the buyer loses the discount, a credit product allows you to keep the discount. Monthly payments on a preferential mortgage are often lower than with installments. The saved funds can be used to repay the loan early, thereby reducing overpayments and the overall financial burden.

The long-term benefit is also obvious. When buying an apartment in installments, most buyers who are considering taking out a mortgage cannot be sure that it will be approved. But buying an apartment with a short-term loan at a low rate helps build a stable relationship with the financial institution and increases the chances of refinancing.

- The client begins to form his credit history in the chosen bank, demonstrating reliability. This opens the door to better conditions in the future, be it refinancing, a consumer loan or a new mortgage. The bank already sees the client as a verified borrower, - the expert emphasizes.

This point of view is confirmed by the survey data. More than half of the respondents (56%) noted: it is important for them that the bank acts as an official creditor of the transaction. In conditions of economic turbulence, this is perceived as an additional guarantee of financial stability and flexibility.

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