Your buyers have not changed their minds. Their bank has changed its rates, and it is not over.
In ten months, mortgage rates have risen by between half a point and three quarters of a point, and some banks are already lending above 4%. For a seller, this is not a banker's detail: it is their buyers' budget melting away, week after week. The figures checked as of 20 October 2026, and how to sell regardless.
A rise that is speeding up
After two years of easing, credit is becoming more expensive, and fast. The European Central Bank raised its three key interest rates by 0.25 points on 10 September 2026, for the second time this year, in response to rising oil and gas prices. Above all, the rate at which the French State borrows over ten years, which guides the cost of money for banks, reached 4.99% on 2 October, its highest level since 2002. It closed at 4.93% on 19 October, after the weekend's violence and ahead of the decision by the agency Moody's on France's credit rating, on 23 October.
Banks are passing it on. According to the broker Meilleurtaux, their standard rate sheets average 3.86% in October, compared with 3.69% in early September. The broker Vousfinancer reports increases of 0.10 to 0.30 points, and some banks are already showing 4% to 4.40% over 20 and 25 years. The rates actually negotiated are following: 3.73% over 20 years and 3.79% over 25 years in the Empruntis survey of 20 October, compared with 3.17% over 20 years in the first quarter according to Pretto.
The averages vary between sources, which do not measure the same thing. The Observatoire Crédit Logement, which tracks loans granted with a time lag, records 3.40% in September, compared with 3.31% in August. All point in the same direction, and brokers expect 3.70% to 4% over 20 years by December.
What it costs your buyers
A buyer does not think in terms of price, but of monthly payment. For the same monthly payment, every rate rise reduces the amount they can borrow, and therefore the price they can offer.
Example with figures: the same household, in January and in October
A fictitious case. A household can repay €1,500 a month over 20 years, excluding insurance.
| At the average rate for the first quarter of 2026 (3.17%) | about €266,400 |
| At the rate negotiated on 20 October (3.73%) | about €253,400 |
| At the average standard rate sheet for October (3.86%) | about €250,600 |
| At 4%, a rate already charged by some banks | about €247,500 |
| Budget lost since the start of the year | from €13,000 to nearly €19,000 |
Without a larger deposit, this household will look at cheaper properties, or negotiate harder on yours.
For some, the door is closing. Meilleurtaux estimates that above 4%, about one in five of its current borrowers could no longer finance their project without a larger deposit. The effects are already visible: the Foncia network reports, for the third quarter of 2026, an 18% drop in preliminary sale agreements signed in its agencies and a 19% rise in withdrawals; Crédit Logement records 8% fewer loans granted than a year earlier over the same period.
If brokers are right, December's buyer will have less budget than October's.
The most exposed properties
The most sensitive are those whose buyer depends entirely on a mortgage: the family house on the outskirts, the first purchase, the property to renovate. Those that hold up best are properties that are rare in their area, or those that appeal to buyers less dependent on the bank.
Loan already granted, large deposit or cash payment: the rise weighs little on their offer.
Calculated at 3.3% or 3.4%, it may be worth nothing at 3.9%. Have it redone before signing.
A refusal from the bank brings the sale down weeks after the preliminary agreement, and the property goes back on the market.
How to sell in this context
When credit tightens, method matters more than the asking price:
- Reassess the price against recent sales. Listing prices lag behind. Actual sales, in the public DVF database, give the right measure.
- Check the financing before signing. A recent certificate, a quantified deposit, a realistic rate and term in the mortgage condition: that is what separates an offer from a sale.
- Make the property financeable. Up-to-date surveys, quotes for major works: a bank lends more readily when the total cost is known.
- Widen the circle of buyers. Investors, neighbours, professionals, owners who are selling on: for an unusual property, they are often the ones who buy.
Lowering the price is not always the right answer: see the 7 real causes of an unsold house and the listing mistakes that put buyers off. If your property has been on the market for months, also read unsold for months: what to do?
Should you wait for rates to fall?
Nobody knows what rates will be in 2027. The ECB meets on 29 October and 17 December; France's credit rating will be reviewed on 23 October; the 2027 budget has not been voted. Waiting, on the other hand, has a certain cost: property tax, insurance, upkeep. And if brokers are right, December's buyer will have less budget than October's. If your decision to sell is made, it is better to adjust the method than the timetable.
Our approach
We support sellers of properties that the traditional market struggles to sell: houses to renovate, inherited properties, land, buildings. When credit tightens, our role is to find buyers able to sign and to set a price that reflects today's market. Tell us about your property.
Frequently asked questions
Will mortgage rates go above 4%?
Some banks are already there, with rates of 4% to 4.40% shown over 20 and 25 years. On average, brokers expect 3.70% to 4% over 20 years by December 2026, with no certainty.
Why do sources give different rates?
They do not measure the same thing: rate sheets shown by banks, rates obtained after negotiation, or loans actually signed the previous month. The first rise before the others.
What is the usury rate?
It is the maximum rate, including insurance and fees, that a bank may charge. It is 5.40% for loans of 20 years or more until 31 December 2026.
Should I lower my price when rates rise?
Not automatically. First check that the price matches recent actual sales, then work on the presentation and the choice of buyers.
What happens if the buyer does not get their loan?
If the mortgage condition applies, the preliminary agreement falls through and the buyer gets their deposit back. Checking their financing before signing limits this risk.
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