The popularity of buying housing in installments is growing – its share in various projects already amounts to 30-60%. At the same time, many buyers expect to switch to a mortgage in two or three years, when it is time to close the installment plan: the rate, according to their calculations, will have dropped to more comfortable values by that time.
However, the Central Bank and some participants in the real estate market consider this option risky – the buyer is not guaranteed either a mortgage, or a low rate, or a refund if he is denied a loan and there is nothing to pay off the installment plan with. Developers insist: in the event of non-payment, it is not the buyers who will have problems, but the sellers
After the cancellation of the most widespread state program of preferential mortgages for new buildings at 8% and the tightening of the conditions of other state mortgage programs in Russia, sales of housing in installments are gaining popularity. According to realtors interviewed by Forbes, from a third to a half of apartments in new buildings are sold through this mechanism. Federal company Etazhi estimates the share of such sales in February at 30-35%, Petersburgskaya Nedvizhimosti — at 34%, Ricci — at 36%, and Cian-Analytics — at 35-40%. In some new buildings in February, the share of purchases with installments exceeded 60%, says Valery Kochetkov, director of the New Buildings department at Inkom-Nedvizhimosti. “It is approaching the level of popularity of mortgages when they were subsidized and unaddressed,” he adds.