How big and how expensive an apartment can a BDH loan buy?
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Short answer
A BDH purchase loan can only buy a home of 150 m² at most[1,2,3], and BDH publishes no maximum price[1,2]. It lends up to USD 100,000 (minimum USD 20,000), never more than 80% of its own valuation of the home. On a home BDH values at USD 125,000 or more, everything above USD 100,000 comes from you in cash.
Also asked as: “What is the maximum apartment price and size with a BDH loan?” · “BDH loan maximum apartment size” · “Can I buy a USD 200,000 apartment with a BDH loan?” · “BDH 150 m² rule”
Key facts
- Down payment
- at least 20% down; loan at most 80%[1,2], measured on BDH's valuation, not the agreed price
- BDH's own example
- USD 125,000 price, USD 100,000 loan over 20 years at 6%: USD 724 a month (USD 785 if the rate rises 1 point)[1], plus USD 6 management fee and USD 13 life insurance a month (APR 6.60%)
The 150 m² limit
The home you buy with a BDH purchase loan may not be larger than 150 m² at most[1,2,3]. BDH sets this limit in its own Key Fact Statement. The construction loan also finances 150 m²[7].
BDH does not say which area it measures: the area written in the property papers, the built area, or whether terraces and a share of the common parts count. Before you pay any deposit, send BDH the flat's papers and ask in writing whether the unit is within the limit. Go by the area in the papers, not the one in the advert.
No published price cap, but a cash ceiling
BDH publishes no maximum price[1,2]. What limits you is the loan: at most USD 100,000, and at most 80% of the value set by BDH's own technical valuation. If BDH values the home below the agreed price, you pay that gap in cash too. The table assumes BDH values the home at its price and you qualify for the full loan.
| Price (and BDH valuation) | Largest loan | Cash from you, before fees |
|---|---|---|
| USD 100,000 | USD 80,000 | USD 20,000 |
| USD 125,000 | USD 100,000 | USD 25,000 |
| USD 160,000 | USD 100,000 | USD 60,000 |
| USD 200,000 | USD 100,000 | USD 100,000 |
Your income can bring the loan down further. The full USD 100,000 needs a family income of USD 2,500 to 5,000 a month (family net income)[1,2,3]. BDH gives this as a range rather than a minimum, and it publishes no income tiers for smaller loans. If your family earns more than USD 5,000 a month, ask BDH how it treats you. Separately, the monthly instalment may not pass 33% of your net income, and all your debts together may not pass 45%[1,2]. More in what income you need for a BDH loan.
To see what USD 125,000 to 200,000 buys in different areas, compare property prices for 2026.
The bank's valuation decides
The 80% is worked out on BDH's technical valuation, not on the price you and the seller agree[1,2]. BDH does not publish how its valuations compare with market prices, or what the valuation costs. Ask BDH both questions before you sign a promise of sale.
BDH publishes no building-age limit, though its valuation may come in lower for an older building[1,2]. See using a BDH loan for an old apartment.
What BDH loans look like in practice
As of 2 July 2026, BDH had granted 1,059 loans worth USD 74 million[5,6], an average just under USD 70,000. According to An-Nahar, 980 of them, worth USD 68.9 million, were apartment-purchase loans. The average is well below USD 100,000, though some of these loans may date from before the cap was raised in 2025[3,4,5].
BDH's worked example uses 6% in the first year, the rate before the cut[1]. As of October 2026 its purchase-loan page gives 5.75% a year (APR 6.33%)[2,5,6], cut from 6% on 1 July 2026. BDH has not published an example at the new rate. See the monthly payment on a BDH loan.
How to check what a BDH loan will cover
- Ask how the valuation works. Ask BDH what it charges for the valuation and what happens if it values the flat below the price. Agree with the seller in writing what happens to your deposit if the loan falls short.
- Budget the cash. Add the down payment, any gap below the valuation, the Land Registry fee of 3% of the value for Lebanese buyers, 5% for non-Lebanese[8], stamp duty of 0.4%[9,10], and the notary's fee, which our sources do not publish, so ask the notary. The mortgage registered for BDH carries no filing or release fee[1,2]. See the total cost of buying.
- Plan for the timing. BDH pays the seller only once the property is registered in your name and the bank holds the new title deed and the mortgage certificate[1,2]. Read when BDH pays the seller before you agree a payment schedule.
It depends on
Common questions
Can I buy a USD 200,000 apartment with a BDH loan?
Can a BDH loan buy an apartment larger than 150 m²?
Is the 20% down payment worked out on the price I agree?
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.BDH USD Purchase Loan Key Fact Statement (BDH - CPU - KFS - Feb 26)
Banque de l'Habitat (BDH) · February 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Banque de l'Habitat - Purchase loan details
Banque de l'Habitat S.A.L. (BDH) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Housing Loan Limit Raised to $100K, Here Are the New Requirements
Beirut.com · 25 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Banque de l'Habitat - What's new
Banque de l'Habitat (BDH) · 11 Aug 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.The rebound is real but housing finance is still short in Beirut
An-Nahar · 23 Sept 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.Lebanon's PCH eyes USD 100 mn to restart subsidized mortgages at rates below Gulf-funded lender
EnterpriseAM (MENA+ Edition) · 7 Sept 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.Banque de l'Habitat - Construction loan details
Banque de l'Habitat S.A.L. (BDH) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.قانون الموازنة العامة لعام 2022 (القانون 10/2022) المنشور في الجريدة الرسمية
Lebanese Ministry of Finance · 15 Nov 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.Real estate fees calculator
Kallas Law Firm · 24 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Lebanon: Individual – Other taxes
PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · 1 Jul 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- What are the conditions for a Banque de l'Habitat housing loan in 2026?Lebanese citizens of 10+ years, clean record, family home up to 150 m², 20% down: BDH's 2026 loan conditions on income, age, rate and repayment.
- What income do I need for a BDH loan, and what if I earn less than USD 2,500?BDH asks for USD 2,500 to 5,000 a month in family net income for its USD 100,000 loan. What lower earners can do, debt limits and proof of income.
- How much is the monthly payment on a USD 100,000 BDH loan?BDH's own example: USD 724 a month for USD 100,000 over 20 years at 6%, plus fees. What changes at 5.75%, the income rule and the extra costs.
- Can I use a BDH loan to buy an old apartment, or only a new one?Yes, as far as BDH publishes: no maximum building age or price. The real limits are 150 m², USD 100,000 and 80% of the bank's valuation. What to check.
- When does BDH pay the seller, and can the loan buy an off-plan flat or one without a title deed?BDH pays the seller directly, only once the sale is registered in your name. Why off-plan flats seem not to qualify, the gap to plan for, and the steps.
- What does it cost on top of the price to buy an apartment in Lebanon?About 4% of the value for Lebanese buyers and 6% for foreigners, by one law firm's count: transfer, stamp, notary, Bar and municipal fees, and who pays.
- Is the BDH housing loan interest rate 5.75% or 6% now?5.75% a year since 1 July 2026, down from 6%, and subject to change. Why both figures circulate, whether the rate is fixed and what a loan costs.
- What is the average price per square metre in Beirut in 2026?No single average exists: 2025-26 reported prices ran from under USD 1,700 to over USD 6,800 per m² by area. Sources, gaps and how to check a flat.
