The production of mortgage loans rebounded by about a third in 2025 compared to 2024, according to data from the Banque de France. This recovery is benefiting first-time buyers massively, whose share now exceeds half of the new loans for primary residences. Rental projects, on the other hand, are experiencing a significant decline in bank financing.
Usury rate and bank scoring: what really filters applications in 2025
The usury rate remains the primary technical barrier for a financing application. We observe that many potential buyers focus on the nominal rate without considering the annual percentage rate (APR), which includes borrower insurance, guarantees, and processing fees. An APR that approaches the usury threshold leads to an automatic refusal, even if the disposable income is comfortable.
Banks apply an internal scoring system that weighs job stability, the length of the current account, and savings behavior over the last six months. A temporary overdraft three months before submitting an application can be enough to downgrade the score. We recommend stabilizing bank statements at least six months before any loan request.
The other underestimated point concerns the modulation of monthly payments. Some contracts allow for a temporary reduction in payments in case of hardship, while others lock the amount for the entire duration. This contractual detail, rarely negotiated in advance, can turn a secured project into a source of financial tension.
Expanded PTZ and home purchase assistance: what changes concretely
Since April 1, 2025, the zero-interest loan (PTZ) covers all new housing, including apartments and houses, across the entire territory. This extension, provided for by Article 90 of the 2025 finance law and Decree No. 2025-299, eliminates the previous restrictive zoning that excluded individual houses in certain areas. The scheme is maintained until the end of 2027.
On sires-immobilier.fr, listings already include financing simulations compatible with this new PTZ, allowing for filtering eligible properties right from the search phase.
For a first-time buyer, the PTZ can represent a significant portion of the total amount borrowed, with no interest or additional fees. The main condition remains compliance with income ceilings, calculated based on the tax reference income from two years prior. Checking eligibility before visiting any property avoids weeks of searching in inaccessible segments.
Renting in tense areas: reduced notice period and rent control
The list of municipalities classified as tense areas has been expanded in recent years. This extension has a direct impact on two contractual levers.
- The notice period for departure is reduced to one month instead of three for any tenant whose housing is located in a municipality classified as a tense area, with no opposition from the landlord.
- Rent control applies automatically in these areas, with a reference rent that must not be exceeded at the time of signing or renewing the lease.
- Landlords must now mention the classification as a tense area in the lease agreement, under penalty of contestation of the rent by the tenant.
For a tenant, checking the classification of the target municipality before signing allows them to know their real rights regarding notice and the applicable rent ceiling. Updated lists are available on the Ministry of Housing’s website.
Mobility lease and furnished rental: two regimes not to be confused
The mobility lease (1 to 10 months, non-renewable) does not entitle the landlord to any security deposit. In contrast, traditional furnished rental under the LMNP status allows for a deposit equivalent to two months’ rent excluding charges. Confusing these two regimes exposes the landlord to penalties and the tenant to abusive clauses.
The LMNP status (non-professional furnished rental) remains attractive for rental investment, but the accounting depreciation conditions and applicable taxation evolve regularly. An investor entering this segment in 2026 must check the tax regime in effect at the time of declaration, not at the time of purchase.
Real estate diagnostics and suspensive clauses: contractual traps in purchasing
A sales agreement typically contains several suspensive clauses. The most well-known, the obtaining of the loan, protects the buyer. However, the absence of a clause on technical diagnostics can be costly after signing.
The energy performance diagnosis (DPE) now conditions the possibility of renting a property. For a buyer considering rental profitability, acquiring an energy-intensive property without budgeting for renovation works amounts to buying a partially frozen asset.
We recommend requiring the transmission of all diagnostics before signing the agreement, not after. The Construction Code mandates their annexation to the sales promise, but in practice, some sellers provide them at the last moment, reducing the buyer’s analysis time to just a few hours.
Energy renovation works: anticipating the real budget
Estimates for energy renovation vary significantly depending on the configuration of the building (interior or exterior insulation, replacement of the heating system, ventilation). Obtaining at least three detailed estimates before signing the agreement allows for incorporating this item into the purchase price negotiation.
A solid real estate project relies on mastering these technical parameters before contractual commitment. The best negotiation lever remains a complete file, with financing simulation, PTZ verification, and diagnostics analysis, presented from the very first offer.
