Buying a first home 2026: ASP, transfer tax and state guarantee

The transfer tax exemption has been removed

A first-time home buyer no longer gets an exemption from transfer tax. According to the Tax Administration, the exemption is possible only if the binding purchase contract was signed before 1.1.2024. Now a first-time home buyer pays the tax like other buyers.

Transfer tax is 1,5 % on housing company shares and 3 % on real estate, such as a detached house with its plot. For example, on a 200 000 euro two-room flat in an apartment block the tax is 3 000 euros. An ASP saver also pays the tax. Calculation bases and payment deadlines are explained in more detail in our transfer tax guide.

ASP was reformed on 1.6.2026

The ASP (housing savings premium) system is still the most important state-supported form of financing for first-time buyers. A new law entered into force on 1.6.2026. An ASP account can be opened from the age of 15 if you have not previously owned at least half of a home. The earlier upper age limit of 44 was removed.

Saving is now done monthly. Accepted deposits are needed for at least 20 months, and the monthly deposit is 50–1 500 euros. Accounts opened before 1.6.2026 can continue with the old quarterly deposits. Savings earn tax-free interest and bonus interest.

Savings must be at least 10 % of the purchase price of the home. An ASP loan can be at most nine times the amount of savings, and together with any additional loan at most 90 % of the purchase price. An ASP loan can be drawn at the earliest at the age of 18.

Benefits and maximum amounts of the ASP loan

The main benefit of the ASP loan is the state interest subsidy and the free guarantee. The interest subsidy is paid for the first ten years: if the loan interest exceeds 3.8%, the state pays 70% of the excess. The state guarantees up to 25% of the ASP loan free of charge. If the loan is taken with a bank's interest rate hedge, no interest subsidy is available.

The maximum amounts of interest-subsidy loans confirmed by Government decree come in two levels from 1.6.2026. For example, a buyer of a 200 000 euro home in Turku needs 20 000 euros of ASP savings, and the ASP loan can be 180 000 euros.

Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen, Tampere, Turku and Oulu: 230 000 euros for one buyer, 345 000 euros for two buyers
Other municipalities: 160 000 euros for one, 240 000 euros for two buyers
Repayment holiday for a maximum of four years in total, a maximum of two years continuously

State guarantee on a regular housing loan

Even without an ASP, a state guarantee can be obtained for a home loan if you buy or build a home for your own use. According to the State Treasury's guidance, the state is liable for at most 20% of the remaining loan principal, but no more than €60,000 per home. A guaranteed loan can cover at most 85% of the purchase price.

A one-off guarantee fee of 2,5 % of the guaranteed amount is charged. The fee for a €20 000 guarantee is therefore €500. The maximum loan term is 25 years, and up to 29 years including repayment holidays. The guarantee is applied for through the bank granting the loan.

Loan-to-value cap and your own savings

The Financial Supervisory Authority's loan cap limits how much of a mortgage you can get relative to collateral. The first-home buyer's loan cap has been 95 %, and in summer 2026 the Financial Supervisory Authority also temporarily raised the cap for other buyers to 95 %. The loan cap does not mean the bank would grant the loan automatically; the bank always assesses repayment capacity.

Also set aside from your own funds the costs of the purchase: transfer tax, a possible bank arrangement fee and the state guarantee fee. A condition survey and checking the housing company's situation are covered in a separate guide.

What changes in 2027

At the government's spring 2026 budget session, further changes to ASP and the state guarantee were agreed. The aim is for Parliament to consider them in autumn 2026 and for them to enter into force at the start of 2027. In the draft circulated for comments, the equity share of an ASP loan would fall from 10 % to 5 %, the maximum guarantee for ASP loans would rise to 95 % of the purchase price and for other guaranteed loans to 90 %. Loan periods would also be extended.

The changes are only proposals. If the purchase falls at the turn of the year, check the up-to-date situation with the bank, the State Treasury or the Ministry of the Environment. You can find housing prices, interest rates and the loan cap situation in Housing Radar.

Frequently asked questions

Does a first-home buyer pay transfer tax in 2026?

Yes. The first-time buyer tax exemption was abolished on 1.1.2024. The tax is 1.5% for housing company shares and 3% for real estate.

How much do you need to save in an ASP account?

At least 10% of the price of the apartment, and deposits must have been made for at least 20 months (€50–1,500/month).

How much does a state guarantee cost?

The guarantee fee for an ordinary home loan is 2.5% of the guaranteed amount. The guarantee for an ASP loan is free of charge.

Is there an upper age limit for ASP?

Not any more. The upper age limit of 44 years was removed in the new act that entered into force on 1.6.2026.

Housing Radar brings together the topic's figures, deadlines and services. Open Housing Radar →

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Sources

The article is general information and does not replace the guidance of an authority, a lawyer or an adviser. Check up-to-date information from the sources.