BienCheck pillar guide
French mortgage, getting the best deal in 2026
Written by Mathieu Delranc
Founder of BienCheck · View author profile
In 2026, French mortgages are negotiable again. Rates stabilised around 3.5 to 4%, banks are active, and a strong file lands 0.4 to 0.8 points below the rack rate. Over 25 years, that's easily €25,000 saved.
Here's how to build a solid file, choose between broker and direct bank, optimise loan insurance and dodge the costliest traps. Borrower-side, no banker jargon.
The 2026 mortgage market
After the 2023-2024 peak, rates eased. Mid-2026, the average is 3.4% over 15 years, 3.6% over 20, 3.8% over 25. The best files land down to 3% over 20 years.
Banks are competing again. Lending volumes are picking up, HCSF rules eased, and brokers regained negotiation leverage. A good moment to borrow, especially as a first-time buyer with a deposit.
Calculating your borrowing capacity
Max debt ratio is still 35% of net income, insurance included. HCSF rule, strictly applied. On €4,000 of net household income, max monthly = €1,400.
Quick maths: over 25 years at 3.8%, €1,400/month buys roughly €275,000 borrowed. Add your deposit, subtract notary fees, and you've got your property budget.
Income counted: net salary, rental income (only 70%), pensions, recurring bonuses. Not one-off income, not occasional overtime.
Deposit: how much, why
2026 rule: minimum 10% deposit for notary fees and guarantee, ideally 15 to 20% for the strong-file bracket. Below 10%, you barely get through, except young first-time buyers with great profiles.
The deposit pays the fees, reassures the bank you can save, and helps negotiate a better rate. Each extra 5% of deposit knocks 0.05 to 0.1 point off the rate.
Building a file banks like
A good file isn't just numbers. It's a coherent story. The bank wants a stable, forward-thinking borrower who handles money well.
- Clean accounts. No overdraft for 3 months, no gambling, no payment incidents. Bank looks, bank sees.
- Regular saving. Monthly transfers to savings. Proof that you manage.
- Stable employment. Confirmed permanent contract, civil service, self-employed with 2-3 years of accounts. Trial period = near-automatic refusal.
- Documented deposit. Clear origin of funds (savings, gift, sale). Anti-money laundering requires it.
- Sufficient living balance. Beyond debt ratio, the bank computes what's left after the mortgage. Too little = refusal even at 30% debt ratio.
- Profile matching the property. Couple with kids buying a 2-bed with no growth plan, fine. Student with family deposit buying a villa, raises eyebrows.
Broker or direct bank?
The broker takes a commission (usually 1% of the loan, capped at €3,000). In exchange, they negotiate with 10-15 banks and typically land 0.2 to 0.4 point better than direct shopping. Net, you win.
Direct: save the commission but far fewer banks involved, and you negotiate alone. Good option if you're very strong and have a long bank relationship.
Our take: broker in 80% of cases, especially first-time buyers. Direct only for big estates with established private-banking ties.
Negotiating your rate
The rate on the bank's shelf is never the rate you get. A clean negotiation pulls 0.2 to 0.5 point off. Levers: salary domiciliation, loan insurance, savings mobilised, side products (car, home).
Method: run 3 banks in parallel, lay the offers on the table, ask each to match or beat. Never sign the first offer. Plan 3 to 4 weeks for a tidy negotiation.
Loan insurance, the second lever
Loan insurance is 30 to 40% of total credit cost. On €200,000 over 25 years, classic bank insurance costs around €25,000. A well-chosen external policy can drop to €10,000.
The Lemoine Act of 2022 allows changing insurer any time, no fees, no penalty. Before, it was a slog. Now near-automatic.
Our take: sign the bank insurance at completion to unblock the file, then switch 1 to 3 months later to an external policy. Typical saving: €10,000 to €18,000 over the loan term.
Fees alongside the rate
The TAEG (effective annual rate) bundles all fees. The only real comparator between offers. Here's what's in there.
- Arrangement fees. €0 to €1,500. Always negotiable, often waived in 2026.
- Guarantee. Caution (Crédit Logement, ~1%) or mortgage charge (~1.5%). Caution more modern, mortgage rarer.
- Loan insurance. 0.1 to 0.4% of initial capital per year depending on profile and external policy.
- Broker fee. €0 to €3,000. Often financed in the loan.
- Account fees. If the bank requires salary domiciliation.
Early repayment and remortgage
Early repayment penalty (IRA): 6 months of interest, capped at 3% of remaining capital. Negotiable down to 0% at signing, a classic to ask for.
Remortgage: worth it if the rate gap exceeds 1 point and you're in the first half of the loan. Compute including: IRA, new guarantee fees, new arrangement fees. Otherwise you gain nothing.
Costly mistakes
What adds €10,000 to €30,000 to the total credit cost.
- 1
Signing bank insurance without thinking
You pay 2 to 3 times more. Switch after signing.
- 2
Comparing nominal rates instead of TAEG
A 3.4% with heavy fees can cost more than a 3.6% with none.
- 3
Not negotiating arrangement fees
€1,000 walking away quietly. Always ask zero.
- 4
Accepting the first offer
You leave 0.2 to 0.5 point on the table. Run banks in parallel.
- 5
Underestimating the deposit
10% minimum in 2026. Without, refused everywhere.
- 6
Skipping your own bank
Your long-time bank often goes the extra mile if you threaten to leave.
- 7
Hiding existing credits
Banks see them in the FICP file. Lying = immediate, definitive refusal.
- 8
Applying during trial period
Near-automatic refusal. Wait for confirmation.
- 9
Picking a too-short term
20 years sounds noble, but 25 years secures the monthly and lets you overpay.
- 10
Forgetting the modularity clause
Lets you raise or cut the monthly on a tough month or a pay rise.
- 11
Neglecting the IRA
Push it to 0% in the offer. Essential if you remortgage later.
- 12
Not checking HCSF
Above 35% debt ratio, refusal guaranteed except rare waivers.
What 0.5% really means
Over 25 years, every tenth of a point matters. Ballpark figures.
| Borrowed | Over 25 years at 3.5% | Saving for 0.5 point less |
|---|---|---|
| €150,000 | ≈ €750 / month | Saving ≈ €11,500 |
| €200,000 | ≈ €1,000 / month | Saving ≈ €15,500 |
| €250,000 | ≈ €1,250 / month | Saving ≈ €19,500 |
| €300,000 | ≈ €1,500 / month | Saving ≈ €23,200 |
| €400,000 | ≈ €2,000 / month | Saving ≈ €31,000 |
| €500,000 | ≈ €2,500 / month | Saving ≈ €38,800 |
| On insurance (€200,000) | Bank: ≈ €25,000 | External: ≈ €10,000. Saving ≈ €15,000 |
How BienCheck helps
We help you frame the right amount, the right rate and the right margin on the property.
Borrowing capacity for your property
Report bakes in your deposit and a sustainable monthly.
Real total cost of the project
Price + fees + insurance + cumulative interest. Over the term.
Negotiation margin = monthly saved
5% off the price = roughly 6 months of mortgage saved.
See PremiumWorks to bake into the loan
If EPC is low, we price works to add to the main loan.
See EPC
Mortgage FAQ
What rate should I expect in 2026?+
3 to 3.5% over 20 years for the best profiles, 3.5 to 4% over 25 years standard. Varies by bank and region.
Minimum deposit?+
10% minimum in 2026, ideally 15 to 20%. Without a deposit, near-systematic refusal except special cases.
How long for a loan approval?+
4 to 6 weeks between a complete file and signed offer. Plan 2 months between compromis and deed to be safe.
Is the broker paid?+
Yes, usually 1% of the loan, capped at €3,000. Net, you win via better negotiation.
Can you borrow at 110%?+
Very rare in 2026. Reserved for top profiles via brokers. General rule: 100% of price, fees on you.
What term to pick?+
25 years standard to secure the monthly, with partial overpayments allowed. 20 years if income is strong and durable.
Is bank insurance mandatory?+
Insurance is mandatory. Picking the insurer isn't. You can and should shop elsewhere (delegation).
Is the PEL savings plan still useful?+
For a PEL opened before 2018, yes (preferential rate). After, little point against current market rates.
Does the PTZ zero-rate loan still exist?+
Yes, granted under means-tested conditions to first-time buyers. Very useful to close a tight file.
Can you stack several loans?+
Yes, main loan + PTZ + Action Logement + employer loan. Called a multi-tranche loan.
Does a fixed-term contract block borrowing?+
Yes in 95% of banks, except civil servants or long-term renewals. Aim for permanent before applying.
What if I lose my job after?+
Monthlies still due. Optional unemployment insurance (expensive) can cover 12 to 24 months depending on policy.
Must you domicile your salary?+
Not mandatory since 2019. But useful as a negotiation lever to land 0.1 to 0.2 point.
When to remortgage?+
If rate gap >1 point and you're in the first half of repayment. Calculate IRA + new fees before.
Early repayment penalty?+
Max 6 months of interest, capped 3% of remaining capital. Ask for it to drop to 0 in the offer.
Can you borrow as a couple?+
Yes and it's even recommended: capacity doubled, profile reinforced. No need to be married, cohabitation works.
Glossary
- TAEG
- Effective annual rate, bundles all fees.
- Nominal rate
- Gross interest rate, excluding fees. Misleading without TAEG.
- HCSF
- French Financial Stability Board, sets credit rules.
- Debt ratio
- Monthly payments / net income, capped at 35%.
- Living balance
- Income minus payments, computed by the bank.
- Deposit
- Cash put in by the borrower on top of the loan.
- Caution
- Cheaper alternative to a mortgage charge.
- Mortgage charge
- Bank's real security on the property.
- Lender's privilege
- Mortgage variant for older properties.
- Loan insurance
- Covers death, disability, sometimes unemployment.
- Insurance delegation
- Picking an insurer other than the bank's.
- Lemoine Act
- 2022 law allowing insurance switch any time.
- IRA
- Early-repayment indemnity.
- Modularity
- Ability to adjust the monthly mid-loan.
- PTZ
- Zero-rate loan, means-tested.
- FICP
- Personal credit-incident register.
- Domiciliation
- Commitment to send salary to the lending bank.
- Arrangement fees
- Bank's set-up fees for the loan.
- Remortgage
- Refinancing an existing loan at a better rate.
- Broker
- Intermediary negotiating with banks for the borrower.
Go further
These guides round out the mortgage picture.
- The Premium reportTotal cost of the project, loan included.
- Notary feesFunded by deposit, rarely by the loan.
- Sale agreementThe loan suspensive clause to draft well.
- Negotiating a property5% negotiated = ~6 months of mortgage saved.
- Buying an apartmentCharges to bake into the living balance.
- Buying a houseWorks to anticipate to size the loan.
- Succeeding at buy-to-letRental income counts at 70% in capacity.
- Read an EPCEPC works to add to the financing plan.
From guide to action
Guides explain. Tools decide. Run the analysis on your property or compare your options in two clicks.
Property analyser
Run a full analysis on a property: price, risks, EPC, negotiation room.
Analyse a propertyProperty comparator
Compare two or three properties side by side on the criteria that actually matter.
Compare propertiesRental yield calculator
Work out the real net yield of a buy-to-let in seconds.
Calculate the yieldSample report
See what a full BienCheck report looks like before you commit.
See an examplePricing
Pick the plan that fits your project: free, Premium or pack.
See pricingFrame your real budget
BienCheck simulates total cost including loan, fees, works and negotiation margin to give you the real price of the deal.
Run my free analysis