On April 1, the stricter amortization requirement was abolished and the mortgage ceiling was raised. However, according to SBAB Booli's monthly housing index, developments during the month do not indicate any price-increasing effect.
House prices rose by 1 percent, but, adjusted for normal seasonal patterns, the increase was 0.4 percent.
"It cannot be ruled out that concerns about rising interest rates as a result of the war in the Middle East are dampening prices and thus masking a possible price-increasing effect of changed mortgage rules. An overall interpretation of the figures is that we see a housing market that is recovering at a steady pace without any visible impact from either changed mortgage rules or the war in the Middle East," says SBAB's chief economist Robert Boije in a comment.
The new rules that came into effect on April 1, 2026:
Mortgage ceiling:
The ceiling has been raised from 85 percent to 90 percent of the home's value. This means that a cash deposit of 10 percent is required instead of the previous 15 percent.
The amortization requirement:
The stricter amortization requirement has been removed. This means that you no longer need to make extra amortization if the loan exceeds 4.5 times your annual income.
