After a period of record-low mortgage interest rates, the cost of mortgage borrowing in Germany surged in 2022. In 2019, mortgage rates declined notably, falling as low as 1.16 percent in December 2020. This downward trend reversed in 2021, as mortgage rates started to gradually pick up. Five-to-ten-year mortgage loans had the lowest rates in October 2023 at 3.85 percent, while floating rate mortgages up to one year were the most expensive at 5.53 percent. Mortgages with over 10-year fixed period – the most popular loan type among homebuyers - had an interest rate of 3.9 percent.

Why did mortgage rates in Germany increase?

In 2022, the yearly inflation rate in Germany experienced a swift rise, prompting the central bank to raise interest rates to counter this surge. The European Central Bank (ECB) is responsible for determining Germany's central bank interest rate. In July 2022, following a prolonged period of stability, the average interest rates in Germany began a steady rise, which persisted consistently thereafter.  This increase is intended to stabilize prices, but it also means higher borrowing costs for those seeking mortgages.

Downturn in Germany's home loan borrowing

From 2022 onward, the gross residential mortgage lending in Germany fell dramatically. Besides the higher interest rates, the downturn can be explained by the slowed pace of economic growth, which makes individuals and businesses more cautious about big investments such as buying a home. Additionally, the German housing market suffers a chronic undersupply, meaning that homebuyers often struggle to find an affordable home to purchase.

In 2024, the average interest rate for new mortgage loans in South Korea stood at around four percent, a decrease from the previous year's 4.37 percent. The average interest rate for new mortgage loans in South Korea saw a nearly two percentage point increase from 2020 to 2022.

Mortgage rates in the Netherlands increased sharply in 2022 and 2023, after declining gradually between 2008 and 2021. In December 2022, the average interest rate for new mortgage loans stood at 1.65 percent, and by the end of 2023, it had risen to 4.13 percent. The 10-year interest rate was the lowest, at 2.96 percent; the floating and less than one-year interest rates amounted to 5.13 and 4.62 percent, respectively. In early 2024, mortgage rates decreased notably. Are mortgage rates in the Netherlands different from those in other European countries? When comparing this ranking to data that covers multiple European countries, the Netherlands’ mortgage rate was similar to the rates found in Spain, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. It was, however, a lot lower than the rates in Eastern Europe. Hungary and Romania, for example, had some of the highest mortgage rates. For more information on the European mortgage market and how much the countries differ from each other, please visit this dedicated research page. How big is the mortgage market in the Netherlands? The Netherlands has overall seen an increase in the number of mortgage loans sold and is regarded as one of the countries with the highest mortgage debt in Europe. The reason behind this is that Dutch homeowners were able to for many years to deduct interest paid from pre-tax income (a system known in the Netherlands as hypotheekrenteaftrek). Total mortgage debt of Dutch households has been increasing year-on-year since 2013.

Mortgage rates increased at a record pace in 2022, with the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubling between March 2022 and December 2022. With inflation increasing, the Bank of England introduced several bank rate hikes, resulting in higher mortgage rates. In September 2023, the average 10-year fixed rate interest rate reached 5.1 percent. As borrowing costs get higher, demand for housing is expected to decrease, leading to declining market sentiment and slower house price growth. How have the mortgage hikes affected the market? After surging in 2021, the number of residential properties sold declined in 2022, reaching close to 1.3 million. Despite the number of transactions falling, this figure was higher than the period before the COVID-10 pandemic. The falling transaction volume also impacted mortgage borrowing. Between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, the value of new mortgage loans fell year-on-year for fourth straight quarters in a row. How are higher mortgages affecting homebuyers? Homeowners with a mortgage loan usually lock in a fixed rate deal for two to ten years, meaning that after this period runs out, they need to renegotiate the terms of the loan. Many of the mortgages outstanding were taken out during the period of record-low mortgage rates and have since faced notable increases in their monthly repayment. About five million homeowners are projected to see their deal expire by the end of 2026. About two million of these loans are projected to experience a monthly payment increase of up to 199 British pounds by 2026.

The benchmark interest rate in Sweden was last recorded at 2.25 percent. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Sweden Interest Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The benchmark interest rate in China was last recorded at 3.10 percent. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - China Interest Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The benchmark interest rate in Germany was last recorded at 4.50 percent. This dataset provides - Germany Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The statistics show the evolution of the official five-year Interest Rate Swap (IRS) between August 2015 and August 2016. This reference index for mortgage rates quoted negative from June 2016 and reached value of -0.14% in July 2016.

Graph and download economic data for 5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (DISCONTINUED) (MORTGAGE5US) from 2005-01-06 to 2022-11-10 about adjusted, mortgage, interest rate, interest, 5-year, rate, and USA.

Mortgage interest rates in the UK were on a downward trend for more than a decade before soaring in 2022. In the second quarter of 2024, the average weighted interest rate stood at 4.8 percent - nearly three times the Interest rate in the fourth quarter of 2021. Mortgage rates also vary depending on the type of mortgage: Historically, fixed rate mortgages with a shorter term had on average lower interest rates. What types of mortgages are there? In terms of the type of interest rate, mortgages can be fixed and variable. A fixed interest rate is simply a mortgage where the rate of repayment is fixed, while a variable rate depends on the lender’s underlying variable interest rate. Furthermore, mortgages could be for a house purchase or for refinancing. The vast majority of mortgages in the UK are fixed rate mortgages for house purchase, and only a small share is for remortgaging. How big is the UK mortgage market? The UK has the largest mortgage market in Europe, amounting to nearly 61 billion euros in gross residential mortgage lending as of the second quarter of 2023. When comparing the total outstanding residential mortgage lending, the UK also ranks first with about 1.9 trillion euros.

Mortgage interest rates in Czechia have experienced significant fluctuations over the past few years, reaching a peak of nearly six percent in December 2022 before gradually declining. As of December 2024, the interest rate on new mortgages in the country amounted to 4.8 percent, showing a slight decrease from the previous month. This trend in mortgage rates has occurred alongside substantial increases in housing prices. Housing market dynamics The changes in mortgage rates have gone hand in hand with notable shifts in the Czech housing market. Despite the high-interest rates, new mortgage lending reached over 18.7 million Czech koruna in December 2024, marking a significant increase from the same month in the previous year. This growth in lending has continued despite the steady rise in housing prices, with the house price index reaching 219.9 in the third quarter of 2024. This marks a significant increase from the 2015 baseline, reflecting the ongoing upward trend. The average purchase price per square meter for family houses increasing across the country. In 2023, Prague recorded the highest average price at 111,087 Czech koruna per square meter. Construction sector trends The construction sector in Czechia has shown its response to these market conditions. The index of multi-dwelling building construction fluctuated recently, with 2024 showing a slight decrease to 83.8 index points compared to the previous year. However, regarding non-residential buildings, the construction has been continuously growing since 2018 with hotels and industrial buildings accounting for the majority of new non-residential constructions.

Home prices in the U.S. reach new heights The American housing market continues to show remarkable resilience, with the S&P/Case Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index reaching an all-time high of 325.78 in July 2024. This figure represents a significant increase from the index value of 166.24 recorded in January 2015, highlighting the substantial growth in home prices over the past decade. The S&P Case Shiller National Home Price Index is based on the prices of single-family homes and is the leading indicator of the American housing market and one of the indicators of the state of the broader economy. The S&P Case Shiller National Home Price Index series also includes S&P/Case Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price Index and S&P/Case Shiller 10-City Composite Home Price Index – measuring the home price changes in the major U.S. metropolitan areas, as well as twenty composite indices for the leading U.S. cities. Market fluctuations and recovery Despite the overall upward trend, the housing market has experienced some fluctuations in recent years. During the housing boom in 2021, the number of existing home sales reached the highest level since 2006. However, transaction volumes quickly plummeted, as the soaring interest rates and out-of-reach prices led to housing sentiment deteriorating. Factors influencing home prices Several factors have contributed to the rise in home prices, including a chronic supply shortage, the gradual decline in interest rates, and the spike in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the subprime mortgage crisis (2007-2010), the construction of new homes declined dramatically. Although it has gradually increased since then, the number of new building permits, home starts, and completions are still shy from the levels before the crisis. With demand outweighing supply, competition for homes can be fierce, leading to bidding wars and soaring prices. The supply of existing homes is further constrained, as homeowners are less likely to sell and move homes due to the worsened lending conditions.

Key information about Germany Long Term Interest Rate

• Germany Long Term Interest Rate: Month Avg: Germany: ECB Harmonised was reported at 2.18 % pa in Dec 2024, compared with 2.31 % pa in the previous month.
• Germany Long Term Interest Rate data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1990 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 9.09 % pa in Oct 1990 and a record low of -0.65 % pa in Aug 2019.
• Long Term Interest Rate is reported by reported by CEIC Data.

• In the latest reports, Germany Short Term Interest Rate: Month End: EURIBOR: 3 Months was reported at -0.57 % pa in Nov 2021.
• The cash rate (Policy Rate: Month End: Main Refinancing Operations) was set at 3.15 % pa in Dec 2024.
• Germany Exchange Rate against USD averaged 0.92 (USD/EUR) in Jun 2023.

The benchmark interest rate in Ireland was last recorded at 4.50 percent. This dataset provides - Ireland Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The benchmark interest rate in Australia was last recorded at 4.10 percent. This dataset provides - Australia Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The benchmark interest rate in Poland was last recorded at 5.75 percent. This dataset provides - Poland Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: NW: Kaliningrad Region data was reported at 8.000 % pa in Dec 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 8.000 % pa for Sep 2015. Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: NW: Kaliningrad Region data is updated quarterly, averaging 10.325 % pa from Sep 2006 (Median) to Dec 2015, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.150 % pa in Sep 2009 and a record low of 7.200 % pa in Mar 2014. Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: NW: Kaliningrad Region data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Russia. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Interest and Foreign Exchange Rates – Table RU.MB012: Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Housing Loans: ow Mortgage: by Region: Average from Year Beginning.

Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: VR: Samara Region data was reported at 11.700 % pa in Dec 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 11.700 % pa for Sep 2015. Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: VR: Samara Region data is updated quarterly, averaging 10.400 % pa from Sep 2006 (Median) to Dec 2015, with 37 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.900 % pa in Jun 2009 and a record low of 7.550 % pa in Dec 2014. Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Mortgage Loans: YB: Quarterly: VR: Samara Region data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Russia. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Interest and Foreign Exchange Rates – Table RU.MB012: Lending Rate: Foreign Currencies Housing Loans: ow Mortgage: by Region: Average from Year Beginning.

This table contains 102 series, with data starting from 2013, and some select series starting from 2016. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada), Components (51 items: Total, funds advanced, residential mortgages, insured; Variable rate, insured; Fixed rate, insured, less than 1 year; Fixed rate, insured, from 1 to less than 3 years; ...), and Unit of measure (2 items: Dollars; Interest rate). For additional clarification on the component dimension, please visit the OSFI website for the Report on New and Existing Lending.

In December 2024, the median interest rate of 10-year fixed rate housing loans provided by city banks in Japan stood at 4.06 percent. This represented a decade high.