The expert spoke about ways to profitably buy an apartment in 2026

Against the background of high mortgage rates, buying a home in 2026 requires a more balanced approach and careful calculation, but it is still possible to reduce the final cost of an apartment. Ilya Kolunov, General Director of Sadovoye Koltso Group of Companies, told Izvestia on February 27 about ways to save money when buying real estate.

The expert recommends first of all to find out whether the potential buyer belongs to the categories of citizens eligible for government support. We are talking about large families, military personnel, law enforcement officers, veterans, the disabled, families with disabled children, orphans, young scientists, internally displaced persons, as well as citizens who lost their homes as a result of an emergency. Separate measures are provided for those who leave the regions of the Far North.

In addition, preferential mortgage programs remain in place. A family mortgage at 6% is available to families with a child under six or a disabled child, and in some cases to families with two or more minor children. The rate is 2% for the Far East and the Arctic.

In addition, employees of accredited IT companies can apply for a loan at 6%, employees of the agro-industrial complex and the social sphere can apply for a rural mortgage at 3%. In the new regions, as well as in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, a preferential rate of 2% is provided. For large families, there is a subsidy of up to 450 thousand rubles for mortgage repayment, and the Young Family program allows you to receive a subsidy of 30-35% of the estimated cost of housing. Maternity capital can also be used as a down payment or used for early repayment of a loan.

Keep your nose on the meter: cheap housing in new buildings is running out in Moscow

They are considered one-room apartments and studios worth up to 20 million rubles.

"When you add up the subsidy, the maternity capital and the preferential rate, buying a home looks completely different. But this is rarely thought about in advance," Kolunov stressed.

According to the expert, additional savings opportunities are associated with the proposals of developers. At the end of accounting periods, developers often offer discounts, installments, or trade-in programs. In some cases, comprehensive offers turn out to be beneficial, for example, buying an apartment with a parking space at a reduced price.

It is possible to reduce the budget by choosing less demanded lots, Kolunov noted. Apartments on the first or last floors, corner layouts, options without a balcony or next to an elevator are usually cheaper than similar facilities. Apartments on the second floor above the entrance group or on the 13th floor, which are traditionally in lower demand, may also be more affordable.

No demand: the number of real estate transactions in new buildings decreased in 33 regions

What is the reason and in which regions the decline was recorded?

On February 21, analysts at KOLDI reported that the number of lots on the market in new high-budget projects in the capital, including the deluxe class, decreased by 6.7 times compared to 2024. It was clarified that by the end of 2025, the total area of luxury real estate sold in Moscow was 42,730 square meters, with an average square footage of 133.9 square meters.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.