Real estate credit: rates drop (slightly) in March, good news for buyers

After the isolated increases in February, mortgage rates resume the fall in March, according to the first scales received by brokers.

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The beginning of February had somewhat taken aback buyers And real estate brokers, with the appearance of first increases in credit rates, for unheard of for more than a year. Good news for ownership candidates, rates are leaving – a little – down in March, according to the first scales of the banks received by the brokers. “On average, we observe a tslight decrease, from 0.05 to 0.10 point, compared to February »indicates to Capital Pascal Courtois, manager of banking relations at Artémis Courage. Maël Bernier, a better spokesperson, echoes him: “The trend for Mars is rather downward, to 3.35% on average for credits over 20 years”. Her counterpart at Vousfinancer, Sandrine Allonier, has indeed received scales showing drops of 0.10, 0.15 and 0.32 points.

“What is funny is that banks that increased their rates in February dropped them in March»»smiles Pascal Courtois. “A national bank, which had increased its rates in early February, drops from 0.15 points on average in March, on all credit times, bringing them back between 3.25% and 3.59% over 20 years, according to profiles from borrowing borrowersillustrious Sandrine Allonier. She had to see that the February increase had too much impact (negative) on her credit production, especially since SG (ex-general company and North Credit) had proposed rates to 2.99% at the same time ”.

A spring of real estate with attractive rates

SG had indeed surprised its competitors by proposing a rate at less than 3% In February, until this Friday 28. Will it renew it in March? “A priori yes but this remains to be officially confirmed”indicates a broker. A certainty, with this rate of 2.99%, “SG sounded the end of the isolated rate increases in early February”according to Maël Bernier. “She pushed the banks that had brought up their rates in their entrenchments, forcing them to lower them to remain competitive”confirms Pascal Courtois.

After these first scales received, Sandrine Allonier expects other rate reductions in March, a month that sounds the traditional start Real estate springthe bulk of housing purchases taking place from March to May. A period “Next to which banks do not want to pass, in order to fulfill their annual commercial objectives”insists Sandrine Allonier. Pascal Courtois also expects “A rather nice spring, with attractive rates”.

Still far from a 3% rate for everyone

Is the prospect of a new drop in rates of the European Central Bank (ECB) on March 6 also auspicious? “There is few possibilities for interest rates on real estate loans still drop a lot in France, even if the ECB is likely to further lower its key rates ”estimates Eric Dor, director of economic studies at the Ieseg School of Management.

And Eric Sorks to explain: “The average rates of new real estate loans are less correlated directly to the key rates of the ECB than at the rate of public bonds at 10 years in France. However, the risk premium (rate) of these obligations will remain fairly strong because of Political instability in Francewhich prevents serious budgetary sanitation ”. Pascal Courtois Table in any case on mortgage rates between 2.5 and 3%, on average, over the entire year 2025. But “We are still far enough to reach 3% for everyone”warns Maël Bernier.