Sweden's new mortgage rules from 1 April 2026: 10% down is enough
The cap is 90% and the stricter amortization rule is gone. On existing loans you must ask your bank yourself, and top-up loans stop at 80%.
Sweden's new mortgage rules take effect today, 1 April 2026. You can borrow up to 90% of the home's value when you buy. The stricter amortization rule ("skärpt amorteringskrav") is gone. The Riksdag approved the changes on 4 March 2026.
What applies from 1 April 2026
- The loan-to-value cap ("bolånetak") is 90%. It covers loans taken from today when you buy a new home.
- The stricter amortization rule is gone. New loans no longer carry the extra 1% for mortgages above 4.5 times gross annual income. On existing loans it stays until you change the terms with your bank.
- Top-up loans may reach at most 80% of the home's market value.
- The five-year revaluation rule now covers top-up loans. You may revalue your home only once every five years, both to lower amortization and to borrow more.
- The Riksbank now sets the countercyclical buffer rate, a task the Financial Supervisory Authority used to hold.
The basic amortization rule stays. If the loan is above 70% of the home's value, you pay off at least 2% of it a year. Between 50% and 70% the rule is 1%. The mortgage FAQ answers more questions on the amortization rules.
Already have a loan? Contact your bank
The stricter rule does not drop off existing loans by itself. You have to agree new terms with your bank.
With a SEK 3,000,000 loan and a SEK 600,000 annual income, you pay an extra 1% today, which is SEK 30,000 a year. At Swedbank, for example, you apply to remove the extra amortization, and the bank makes its own assessment first.
Buying now?
Take a SEK 3 million flat. Last week you needed a SEK 450,000 down payment ("kontantinsats"). Today SEK 300,000 is enough. The bank still runs its affordability check on what you have left to live on after housing costs, and that decides how much you can borrow.
Want to borrow more against your house?
The 80% cap makes top-up loans harder. A house worth SEK 4,000,000 with a SEK 3,400,000 loan sits at 85%. The owner cannot borrow more until the loan is below SEK 3,200,000, or until a new valuation shows the house is worth more. That revaluation is allowed only once every five years.
Sources
- Government of Sweden: press release on the new law, 5 March 2026 (Swedish)
- Government of Sweden: press release on the bill, 5 February 2026 (Swedish)
- Swedbank: New mortgage rules, lower amortization and a changed loan-to-value cap (Swedish)
This content is general information, not financial or legal advice. Bolån Radar collects data from banks and authorities and cannot guarantee that it is complete or free of errors. Talk to your bank or an adviser before you decide.