Interest Rates on Existing Bulgarian Mortgages Begin to Rise

Interest rates on existing mortgage loans in Bulgaria are beginning to rise, according to a check by BNR based on recent data. Although these instances are currently isolated and do not yet impact overall statistics, they signal a trend that experts have anticipated for some time. The increase in interest rates is more pronounced for loans denominated in euros.

For several months, financial observers have noted a rise in the average interest rates on leva deposits. This trend often leads to higher loan interest rates, particularly affecting banks with smaller market shares and euro-denominated mortgages. The adjustments in deposit rates can serve as an indicator of impending increases in loan costs.

Desislava Nikolova from the financial portal "Moite Pari" provided specific examples, noting that interest rates on some loans have risen by between 1 and 1.5 percentage points. For instance, if the interest rate rises from 2.6% to 3.6%, the monthly repayment for a loan of 100,000 leva or euros would increase by about 50 leva.