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Mortgage loans: another bank lowers the rate starting this Friday - La Nacion Propiedades
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Crédito hipotecario: otro banco baja la tasa a partir de este viernes
En medio de un mercado cada vez más restringido, una entidad redujo dos puntos su tasa de interés y es la segunda en una semana
www.lanacion.com.ar
November 10, 2025
Amid an increasingly tight market, one entity cut its interest rate by two points, becoming the second to do so in a week.
ICBC confirmed that it will reduce its interest rates by two percentage points starting tomorrow.
Amidst complete uncertainty about the future of the real estate market , with interest rates on UVA (Purchasing Power Unit) mortgages at historically high levels —some exceeding 15%—and long-term financing virtually frozen, one financial institution has decided to lower its rate . This is the second confirmed rate cut, following another bank's announcement of the same measure last Friday, October 31.
Starting Friday, November 7, ICBC will reduce its interest rates by two percentage points to bolster the recovery of the real estate market and attract new borrowers . The fixed rate will drop from 14% to 12% , while the preferential rate will fall from 13% to 11% . This move could signal a new phase for the sector.
The 11% discount applies exclusively to the preferential loan program for customers who receive their salary through the bank. A minimum income of $1,100,000 is required to qualify for the loan . For the purchase of a primary residence, it is possible to combine the income of a parent or partner. Financing covers up to 75% of the property value, with terms of 15 to 20 years, for transactions not exceeding 360 million pesos.
“Since relaunching mortgage loans in May of last year, we decided to maintain the supply to help our clients access their homes. Although demand fell at some point, lending remained steady and we are committed to improving the conditions,” stated Jimena Loria y Alemany, mortgage loan product manager at ICBC.
According to the latest reported data, US$370 million in mortgage loans were granted in October by all banks in the country.
The first bank to lower its rate
ICBC's decision comes just a week after BBVA lowered the rate on its preferential loan from 10.9% to 7.5% , a move interpreted as the first sign of monetary easing following the October 26 elections. This is the first concrete reduction since banks resumed offering UVA mortgage loans and have been gradually modifying their terms with increases.The 7.5% rate applies only to their preferred loan program , aimed at high-income clients : those who receive their salary through the bank and earn more than $5 million per month . Furthermore, the loan must be used to purchase a primary residence valued at more than $50 million or a secondary residence valued at more than $100 million .
Meanwhile, with other lower incomes, the standard line maintains the rate of 10.9% , and those who do not credit their salary to the entity have one of the highest rates: 17 % .
“The loan amount is determined based on the client's income, allowing financing of up to 80% of the property value with a term ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 30 years. To increase financing capacity, the applicant can combine the income of up to two direct family members,” the bank stated.
Contrary to the trend: Banco Nación raised its rates
In October, ICBC granted US$370,000 in mortgage loans.FreePik
However, contrary to the reductions by BBVA and ICBC, Banco Nación increased the interest rate of its UVA mortgage loan program from 4.5% to 6%, being the only entity nationwide that had not yet raised this rate since the relaunch of its UVA mortgage loan program .
Banco Nación has captured the largest share of demand so far , accounting for over 40% of total applications . According to official data, more than 4,400 loans were granted in the city of Buenos Aires, 5,000 in Greater Buenos Aires, 1,500 in Córdoba, 1,400 in Mendoza, and 1,000 in Santa Fe, up to October 2025. Its 4.5% interest rate had made it the most competitive bank in the system nationwide, compared to the rates of between 10% and 17% applied by private entities after their increases.
It should be clarified that the case of Banco Nación is on a different track since its interest rate level was exceptionally low and, in fact, it functioned as a benchmark that put pressure on the rest of the financial system .
The major problem facing the national entity lies in its scoring requirements (an applicant's ability to access a loan and its conditions): during the last few months, the bank doubled its scoring level, going from 450 to 909 points , which in practice limited access to loans even with a low rate.
Future expectations
A change in the real estate sector is noticeable. Issel Kiperszmid, CEO of Dypsa Group, points out that after last Sunday's parliamentary elections, "there is a strong positive shift in expectations."“The market is already anticipating increased liquidity and lower interest rates. If the Central Bank manages to rebuild reserves without allowing the peso to appreciate excessively, economic activity will be much more competitive,” he argues.
The businessman explains that in recent days, inquiries from potential buyers have increased , including from people who had postponed decisions in recent months. “ The brakes are being released . When banks restore their liquidity and the government demands fewer pesos, those funds will flow into the private sector. Mortgage lending will reappear, and that will also reactivate the used property market,” he predicts.
In a country where more than three million households have housing needs and where mortgage credit represents only 0.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), any news that promises to unlock access to housing generates expectation .
Now, it remains to be seen what will happen in the future: if the stabilization expectations consolidate and other entities follow the same path, the market could be reactivated .
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