Equity for first-time buyers in Norway: how to reach 10 % (2026)

In Norway you need at least 10 % equity to buy your first home. On a 3 million kroner home that is 300 000 kroner. The requirement was lowered from 15 % to 10 % on 31 December 2024, so older guides that say 15 % are out of date. If you have not saved the whole sum, three established routes get you there: BSU savings, a guarantee from your parents, and a startlån from your municipality.

What equity is, and how much you need

Equity (egenkapital) is the part of the price you pay yourself, while the bank lends you the rest. The minimum is 10 %, which means a maximum loan-to-value of 90 % for an ordinary repayment loan.

Purchase price	10 % equity	Loan (90 %)
2 500 000 kr	250 000 kr	2 250 000 kr
3 000 000 kr	300 000 kr	2 700 000 kr
4 000 000 kr	400 000 kr	3 600 000 kr

Budget a little above the bare 10 %. On a freehold home, document duty and registration fees come on top, and the bank does not usually finance them. Equity can come from savings, a BSU account, the gain from a previous home sale, or a documented gift or private loan from family.

BSU: a 10 % tax deduction while you save

BSU (boligsparing for ungdom, home savings for young people) is the most efficient way to save toward a first home. You get a 10 % tax deduction on up to 27 500 kroner saved per year, up to 300 000 kroner in total, through the year you turn 33. Save the maximum and you cut 2 750 kroner straight off your tax each year.

The whole BSU balance counts as equity when the bank assesses your loan. Save for a few years and BSU alone can cover a large part of the equity on a first home. The money is tied to housing, which is exactly what you need it for.

Realkausjon: parents pledge their home as security

If you lack savings, parents can provide a realkausjon, a guarantee secured on property. They pledge their own home as security for your loan, without lending you money. If they have enough margin in their home, the bank can treat the equity requirement as met.

Two things matter here:

• The guarantee eases the equity requirement, not the affordability test. The bank must still stress test that you yourself can withstand an interest rate rise of 3 percentage points, at least 7 %.
• The guarantor is liable with their own home if you do not pay. It is wise to agree that the liability is time-limited, or falls away once you have repaid enough to meet the requirement on your own.

A financing certificate will show whether the bank accepts a guarantee in your case.

Startlån from the municipality

If you cannot get enough loan from an ordinary bank, a startlån from Husbanken may be an option. You apply through your municipality, not directly to Husbanken. A startlån is for those who fall short in the ordinary bank market, and priority groups include families with children.

The startlån has no fixed national income limit and no equity requirement of its own, but you must be able to service the loan over time. So it is your ability to pay, not saved-up capital, that decides. The municipality assesses each application. The startlån is covered in more detail in its own guide.

How to make a plan

Start by working out what 10 % actually is on the homes you are looking at, and add the costs. Then save as much as you can in BSU while you are under the age limit. If you are still some way off, talk to parents about a guarantee, or look into a startlån with your municipality. The three sources can also be combined.

Once the equity is in place, your income decides how large a loan you get. Heimer reads the sales prospectus and works out the total price, costs, and monthly cost for the home you are considering. Paste the listing.