55% of People who Don't Live in their Own Home Intend to Buy One

55% of people who do not live in their own home intend to buy one, with nearly half of them indicating housing credit as the primary means of financing it. The data is from a nationally representative online survey conducted by Gemius Bulgaria on Postbank's request. On the second place, 25% of the respondents said that it it is possible to finance the purchase with their own funds. 2% of them would borrow from a friend / relative and the other 25% - a combination of housing and consumer credit or through own funds and housing / consumer credit.

Postbank's experts reported a significant increase in housing loans since the beginning of the year. Over 50% is the increase in demand for new housing loans received in the institution compared to the same period last year. The largest demand for housing in the big cities - Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas - continues to be the most active, accounting for about 75% of the new mortgage loan applications in the Bank. The average loan amount also rose, reaching € 56,500 for the first 5 months of 2019, compared with € 51,200 in the same period last year.

46% of the surveyed people who have already withdrawn a housing loan say that investment in real estate provides security and tranquility for the future. The other reasons they claim for credit are the need for housing in a particular location (44%), the desire for self-reliance (37%), an increase in family members (30%), the ability to provide home for their children 30%).

The study also shows that the most common housing loan is used by people with higher education, aged between 30 and 40, family and with an average income of 900 to 2 000 BGN per month.