Paying and home loans

Articles: 37

Fresh dollars, bank cheques and lollars, transfers from abroad, and housing loans today.

• What is the best way to send money to Lebanon to pay for a property?

  No single best way: apps cap at USD 5,000 to 9,900 a transfer, bank wire terms are unpublished, cash over USD 15,000 must be declared. What to check.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 8 min read

• Do Lebanese commercial banks give home mortgages in 2026?

  No. As of autumn 2026, press reports say Lebanese banks still are not writing home mortgages. What BDH offers instead, the PCH plan and how buyers pay.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• When will the PCH restart subsidised housing loans?

  No restart date yet: PCH has asked for USD 100 million at 3.5% in the draft 2027 budget, still before Cabinet and Parliament. What is known and what is not.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

• What are the OMT, Whish and Western Union limits for receiving money in Lebanon?

  Via Taptap Send, a Whish wallet takes USD 5,000 a month. What is published for OMT and Western Union, what is not, and why it matters for property.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can I pay for a property in Lebanon in lollars, or only in fresh dollars?

  It depends on the seller; 2025-26 buying was concentrated among expatriates and cash holders. Fresh dollars, lollars, cheques, cash rules and BDH loans.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• What does 'fresh dollars' mean in Lebanon?

  Fresh dollars usually means US cash or transfers from outside Lebanon, as opposed to 'lollars'. What it means for buying property and BDH loans.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• How much cash can I bring into Lebanon, and do I have to declare it?

  Cash above USD 15,000 must be declared to Lebanese customs, in writing on entry; on exit, disclosure on request may suffice. Covers fines and seizure.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can I get a BDH loan to renovate or build, and what are the limits?

  Yes. BDH lends up to USD 50,000 or LBP 2 billion to renovate, and up to USD 100,000 to build on land you own. Income rules, permits, solar approval.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• How big and how expensive an apartment can a BDH loan buy?

  A BDH loan buys a home of 150 m² at most. No price cap is published, but the loan stops at USD 100,000 and 80% of BDH's valuation. How much cash you need.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• I live abroad: how do I pay for a Lebanese apartment when there is no mortgage?

  Mostly from your own funds: banks are not writing mortgages and BDH has strict rules. How buyers abroad move the money, cash rules and paying safely.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• After I sell my property in Lebanon, can I take the money abroad?

  In principle yes, but old bank deposits have faced limits and cash over USD 15,000 goes through customs. The law, bank practice and how to plan payment.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can Lebanese living abroad get a BDH housing loan?

  Yes, with 10 years of Lebanese citizenship; the full USD 100,000 loan needs USD 2,500 to 5,000 family income a month. How to prove income from abroad.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can a foreigner get a housing loan in Lebanon?

  Not from BDH, which requires 10 years of Lebanese citizenship, and commercial banks are reported not to write mortgages. How foreigners pay instead.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• What is the difference between PCH and BDH housing loans?

  PCH, a state body that subsidised bank loans, is not lending; BDH, a bank, is. Owners, rates, loan sizes and who can apply, as of October 2026.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• Can a foreigner or non-resident open a bank account in Lebanon, and do I need one to buy property?

  No published rules say whether Lebanese banks open accounts for foreigners or non-residents, or that you need one to buy. What we know and what to ask.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• I have an old LBP housing loan from before 2019: how is it repaid now?

  It depends on your lender and contract. No published rule covers all pre-2019 LBP housing loans. What BDH said, what to ask your bank, lifting the mortgage.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• What is the PCH rent-to-own scheme and how do I apply?

  As of October 2026 no PCH rent-to-own scheme is confirmed open. What PCH is, what is planned for 2027, what to ask PCH, and the BDH alternative.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• How do I apply for a BDH loan, step by step, and which documents do I need?

  Apply directly to BDH on its online platform with proof of income and property papers; no brokers. The steps, the documents and what is not published.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• What is the lollar rate today in Lebanon?

  No official lollar rate could be confirmed as of October 2026. What a lollar is, what was reported on haircuts and fees, and how to get your bank's rate.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• Can I buy an apartment in Lebanon with a bank cheque, and what discount do sellers apply?

  Only if the seller agrees. No checkable 2026 figure for cheque discounts. What is known about bankers' cheques, lollars and paying safely.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can I use my trapped bank deposit to settle a loan or buy property in Lebanon?

  No published rule lets you pay with a trapped deposit; it depends on the seller and your bank. How cheques were used, what changed and what to check.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• Should I pay cash or by bank transfer when buying property in Lebanon?

  It depends on the seller; both are used. The USD 15,000 cash declaration, money-laundering checks and how to keep proof of payment.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 8 min read

• Is the price in the deed the real price I paid, and what are the risks of declaring less?

  Not always. The registration fee on built property uses the higher of declared price and official estimate. What the deed affects, and risks of declaring less.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 9 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• Is buying an apartment in instalments from a developer in Lebanon safe?

  Risky: until the sale is registered you hold only a claim against the developer. What an inscribed promise of sale protects, and what to check.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• Should I wait for a 3.5% PCH loan or take the BDH loan now?

  It depends: the 3.5% PCH loan is only a draft-budget request with no start date; BDH lends now at 5.75%. Rates, lock-ins and unknowns.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Do I repay a BDH loan in fresh dollars, and can I pay from abroad?

  Yes: BDH asks for payment in fresh US dollars in cash, insurance included. Whether you can pay from a bank abroad is not published; what to ask BDH.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• How do I pay the deposit and the balance on a Lebanese property from abroad?

  Agree the deposit in writing, check the title first and pay the balance at the notarial deed: you own only on registration. Steps, proof and money transfers.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

• Will I be asked for proof of the source of funds when I buy property in Lebanon?

  Possibly. Law 44/2015 makes notaries and brokers run anti-money-laundering checks, but no document list is published. What to expect and prepare.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• How much can I withdraw each month from my Lebanese dollar account?

  We could not confirm the current monthly limit on Lebanese dollar accounts. What is known about lollar haircuts, fees, fresh dollars and how to ask your bank.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• Can I get a BDH loan if I already own a home, or for a second home or investment property?

  BDH lends to owners only if the new home is at least 25 km away and is the family home. No rentals or holiday homes. Rules, risks and repeat loans.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• How do I get proof when I pay a seller in cash in Lebanon?

  Keep a signed record of each cash payment and pay close to registration: only the registered deed makes you owner. Receipts, timing and AML checks.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

Ahla Beit Guide