The Bank of Maldives has lowered the equity requirement to five percent for housing loans of less than MVR 3 million.
The change is intended to make home ownership more accessible, particularly for first-time buyers and those seeking smaller properties. Previously higher equity thresholds had limited the pool of eligible applicants.
The bank has not announced a corresponding change for larger loans. Housing finance remains a critical issue in the Greater Malé region, where land and construction costs have risen sharply.
The adjustment follows earlier government announcements of housing grants designed to help residents meet bank equity requirements.
