The expert spoke about the relationship between age and the desire to take out a mortgage

A Level Group study showed that 43% of Russians over the age of 29 regret that they did not take out a mortgage 10 years ago, when real estate prices were lower and loan terms were softer. The survey results show a transformation of consciousness, in which what previously seemed like a limitation begins to be perceived as a missed opportunity. This opinion was expressed by the head of the mortgage department of the Level Group, Julian Ovechkin, in a conversation with Izvestia.

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"With experience, financial literacy also grows stronger. If in youth the planning horizon is 1-2 years and renting seems logical, then with age people realize that a mortgage is the only way to freeze the cost of housing. A third of the Russians we surveyed (34%) explicitly stated that they had reconsidered their views and now see credit as a tool to save money, not as bondage," the expert emphasized.

At the same time, for people aged 18 to 28, mortgages are still synonymous with the word "freedom." Almost half of the young respondents (49%) are afraid of loss of mobility, the source said.

"They live in the paradigm of the sharing economy, where any service — from taxis to housing — must be canceled in one click. For Generation Z, the main currency is mental comfort and the variability of life scenarios. They perceive mortgages as a very expensive and irrevocable subscription, which conflicts with their desire to change their city or profession at any time. Only 10% of zoomers today look at the issue pragmatically, recognizing the purchase of housing as a necessary tool," he explained.

At the same time, Ovechkin admitted that it is difficult to get a mortgage for young people without a stable debt history in 2026.

"Banks have redesigned scoring: now they look not only at the work record, but also at the digital footprint, transactional activity, and even the education profile. The complete absence of a credit history is worse today than having a closed credit card or installment plan, since it is the debt repaid on time that generates a positive scoring score in the banking system," the expert said.

The entrance ticket to a mortgage for young people is often programs with co-borrowers-parents or family assistance with a down payment, he said. Every fifth young Russian resorts to this strategy.

"This allows us to combine income and offset the bank's risks associated with a "young and unstable" borrower. Independently, without an initial contribution of 30-50% and a confirmed income, it is now extremely difficult for a young specialist to get approval for market programs," the representative of the developer emphasized.