The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) will change its mortgage lending rules from October 2026, introducing preferential conditions for young homebuyers while tightening requirements for property investors.
Young people under the age of 35 purchasing their first home will automatically be eligible for a mortgage covering up to 90% of the property’s value. At the same time, conditions will become stricter for buyers purchasing a third or any subsequent apartment or house: they will be required to provide at least 30% of the property’s value from their own funds.
The NBS says the changes are intended to improve access to housing for young families while limiting investment property purchases, which the regulator believes contribute to rising housing prices.
According to the regulator, more than half of all homes in Slovakia are currently purchased by people who already own at least one property. A significant share of these properties remains effectively vacant. An analysis of electricity consumption showed that in major cities, more than 10% of apartments are used only minimally or are not occupied at all.
In Bratislava, the share of such apartments stands at 10.9%, while in Košice it reaches 15.2%. In the capital alone, the number of homes with very low electricity consumption increased from 23,800 apartments in 2021 to more than 27,500 in 2025.
The NBS believes that investor activity not only pushes prices higher but also reduces housing affordability for young buyers. Competition is particularly strong in the small-apartment segment, which is most often purchased as an investment.
According to estimates by the National Bank of Slovakia, the new rules will not have a significant impact on the overall volume of mortgage lending. However, they are expected to increase the number of mortgages granted to young buyers and reduce the number of loans issued for investment properties.
In the first quarter of 2026, annual growth in property prices in Slovakia exceeded 11%. According to NBS data, the average price of residential real estate reached €3,005 per square metre by the end of March, approximately €100 higher than at the end of 2025. Apartments were the main driver of price growth, while prices for detached houses, by contrast, began to decline.
