During the recent holiday period, borrowers in Russia turned to Sberbank in substantial numbers. The bank reported that 75.3 thousand mortgage applications were processed in the final days of the year and through the New Year break, underscoring a sustained appetite for home ownership among Russians as 2023 closed.
According to the Domklik service, Sber issued housing loans totaling 276.6 billion rubles from December 15, 2023, to January 8, 2024. A significant portion of these loans came under government-supported schemes, with 48 thousand loans provided within those programs. The most popular options were the Family Mortgage, chosen by 21.7 thousand borrowers, and Government Support, selected by 21.5 thousand. These figures highlight how policy-driven programs shaped consumer demand during a period of seasonal activity.
Analysts observed that the Family Mortgage achieved the top spot in popularity for the first time since April 2023, a shift that followed the expansion of its eligibility criteria earlier in the year. This change appears to have broadened access and stimulated interest across a wider segment of potential homeowners.
Meanwhile, the Domklik team noted another notable trend: the Arctic Mortgage program exceeded the Far East Mortgage in demand, signaling evolving regional preferences among homebuyers. This shift suggests a broader reallocation of demand toward programs that align with emerging regional development goals and specific living arrangements.
Geographic distribution of activity showed that the Moscow region led with 6.1 thousand mortgage loans issued under both standard and preferential programs, followed by the capital itself with 4.8 thousand. The two markets remained strong performers, maintaining their top tier status in the two weeks leading up to the New Year and during the holiday period. Other high-activity areas included Krasnodar Territory with 4.6 thousand loans, St. Petersburg with 3.7 thousand, and Tyumen region with 3 thousand. These patterns reflect a mix of urban demand, housing supply dynamics, and the intensity of local economic activity during the holiday season, according to the Domklik division head, Alexey Leipi.