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Mortgages

Banco de Portugal Governor Álvaro Santos Pereira Pushes Mortgage Taxa de Esforço Cap From 50% to 45% and Extends the Under-35 Maturity Ladder to 40 Years — Macroprudential Recommendations Head Toward Binding-Rule Status

Banco de Portugal Governor Álvaro Santos Pereira Pushes Mortgage Taxa de Esforço Cap From 50% to 45% and Extends the Under-35 Maturity Ladder to 40 Years — Macroprudential Recommendations Head Toward Binding-Rule Status

Governor Álvaro Santos Pereira wants the mortgage taxa de esforço cap lowered from 50% to 45%, the bank-level exception envelope cut from 15% to 10%, and the maximum maturity stretched to 40 years for borrowers under 35. He also asked parliament to make the rules binding.
The Portugal Brief
Mid-century Portuguese residential apartment building exterior — Banco de Portugal's April 2026 housing-credit print at €115 billion, +10.7% YoY

Crédito à Habitação Climbs to €115 Billion at April Close — 10.7% Year-on-Year Print Is the Fastest Mortgage-Stock Lift Since February 2003 as the Garantia Pública Jovens 100% LTV Window Powers the Acceleration

BdP's April 2026 print puts the mortgage book at €115B, up 10.7% YoY — the fastest pace since February 2003. The Garantia Pública Jovens 100% LTV window for under-35s drives the lift. The May Financial Stability Report flags residential property as the system's main internal risk.
The Portugal Brief