The down payment determines how much you borrow, the monthly payment and how much cash remains for valuation, notary and insurance costs. For standard RON mortgages, 15% is a common starting point, not a guarantee for every application.

Why the bank can ask for more

A bank may require more when the property is hard to resell, income is in another currency, the valuation is below the purchase price or the borrower already has monthly debts. Ask whether the percentage applies to the contract price or the value accepted by the bank.

For a home priced at 427,500 lei, 15% equals 64,125 lei. If the valuation comes back at 405,000 lei, the buyer may also need to cover the 22,500 lei gap. In a 2024 BCR file from Brașov reviewed by Roman Dumitrescu, that gap delayed signing by two weeks.

Noua Casă does not always mean 5%

The latest public FNGCIMM guide available when checked on 28 August 2026 is the 2025 guide. It shows 5% for homes up to EUR 70,000 and 15% for the higher category up to EUR 140,000. Annual availability must be confirmed before signing a preliminary sale contract.

A lower initial contribution does not automatically mean a lower total cost. Compare the programme with the standard offers on our mortgage page.

Cash needed beyond the down payment

Keep a separate reserve for valuation, notary work, mortgage registration, PAD and the additional property policy required by the lender. These costs vary by property, notary and insurance policy, so a universal total would be misleading.

Roman, former BCR analyst: "The useful question is not whether you have 15%. It is whether you can still close when the valuation is 18,750 lei below the price and the notary payment is due in the same week."

Once the cash budget is clear, compare rates and total cost, then read the guide to fixed and variable mortgage rates.

Income changes the file, not only the maximum amount

Income type matters.

A regular salary paid in lei is easier to verify than seasonal income or receipts that vary sharply from one month to another.

For self-employment, dividends, rent or foreign contracts, a bank may request a longer history, tax returns and statements linking declared income to money received.

These checks do not create one universal down-payment percentage for every occupation. They may reduce the income the lender accepts or lead to a more cautious equity requirement. Ask for a simulation after submitting real documents, not one based only on the gross figure written in a contract.

Income in a currency other than the leu adds exchange-rate risk. Some lenders accept only selected currencies, discount eligible income or request a larger buffer. The useful question is how much income remains eligible under that bank's rules and what cash contribution follows for the chosen home.

A second home and additional security

The advertised percentage is not the whole decision.

If you already own a home, the lender may assess the new purchase differently, especially when an existing mortgage remains or the new property will be rented.

Additional security can change the ratio between the loan and accepted value, but it also brings valuation, legal, insurance and ownership risks for another property.

Do not treat another mortgage as free down-payment money. If payments stop, the lender has rights over every pledged asset, and selling one may require its consent. Compare two written scenarios: a larger cash contribution and additional security, including all initial costs.

Do not assume that a rule used for the first home repeats for a second property. The bank can consider purpose, location, current debts and how readily the asset could be sold. Request the final percentage after identifying the property because financial pre-approval does not approve the security itself.

The property can raise the required contribution

Not every security is equally easy to sell.

A documented apartment in a large city is assessed differently from an unfinished house, an altered property or a home in an area with few comparable sales.

The valuer checks the market and physical condition while the legal team checks title. A price agreed with the seller does not bind the bank.

For a new building, check permits, acceptance, registration and the date when a mortgage can legally be created. For a house, the land, annexes and lawful access can change accepted value. A late problem may not merely raise the down payment; it can stop financing entirely.

Ask for property documents before paying money that is difficult to recover. If extensions, attic rooms or altered layouts are missing from the papers, ask the notary and lender whether records must be updated. Extra cash cannot cure unclear title, and a sound valuation does not replace legal review.

Where the down payment can come from

The source of money must be explainable.

Savings, proceeds from a sale and family support can be acceptable, but the bank or notary may request evidence showing how the money moved.

A last-minute transfer with no explanation can delay review. Keep sale contracts, gift documents and relevant statements ready before signing.

A consumer loan used for the deposit creates another monthly payment. That payment enters the debt assessment and can reduce the very mortgage being sought. Run the calculation with every debt disclosed; moving a debt to another lender does not make it disappear.

If a relative provides money, decide whether it is a gift or a loan. A private loan remains an obligation even if it is not immediately visible in a credit bureau. For a significant amount, ask a notary about the proper document and never describe debt as a gift merely to simplify the file.

The preliminary contract needs room for financing

Do not sign under reservation pressure.

The deadline for approval, valuation and documents should be realistic, and the consequence of a bank refusal should be written clearly in the preliminary contract.

A properly drafted financing condition can distinguish lender refusal from a buyer simply changing their mind. Agree the wording with a notary or lawyer rather than copying an advertisement.

Financial pre-approval shows what income might support, but it does not approve the home. Valuation and title review begin after the property is chosen. Allow time for additional papers and do not promise a completion date based only on an online simulation.

Money paid to the seller and the bank's equity requirement are not always identical concepts. A reservation amount may form part of the price, but financing is calculated from documents and accepted value. Ask the notary to record payments already made and the exact balance still due.

A budget that survives the purchase

Do not empty the account.

Besides mandatory paperwork, a home may need moving, repairs and service charges during the first month after completion.

Keep three separate pots: the price contribution, transaction costs and the emergency reserve. Do not use the same money in all three calculations.

At a price of 427,500 lei, a prudent scenario does not stop at the 64,125 lei produced by 15%. Add a possible valuation gap, costs confirmed by the notary and the household reserve. An article cannot guess the final amount; it must be built from written quotations and the property's papers.

The decision remains simple: buy only when completion does not require a second expensive loan and cash remains for an unexpected problem. A larger contribution lowers borrowing, but it is not worthwhile if it removes every layer of safety after moving.

Eight questions before paying a reservation

What percentage did the bank calculate for my file?

Ask after income and debts have been reviewed. A general simulation does not confirm the final amount.

Record whether the percentage applies to price or accepted value. That distinction can change the cash required.

How much income was actually accepted?

Compare declared income with eligible income in the calculation. They can differ sharply when receipts vary.

Request the reason for every discount and the documents that might change it. Do not fill gaps with assumptions.

Can the home be mortgaged without corrections?

Request documents before the preliminary contract and ask whether that property type fits the lender's policy.

Check alterations, annexes, access and registration with the notary. The valuer cannot cure a legal defect.

What does a lower-valuation scenario show?

Repeat the calculation below the negotiated price. Any gap normally comes from the buyer's available cash.

Choose a sensible stress amount for the budget and keep it separate. Do not describe it as the valuer's forecast.

Which costs have been confirmed in writing?

Ask the notary, valuer and insurer for amounts applicable to the transaction. Use ranges only until quotations arrive.

Separate certain charges from possible repair spending. A complete list is more useful than an approximate total.

What happens if the lender refuses?

Read the financing condition and the deadline for returning money. A verbal promise does not protect a payment.

Discuss the wording with the notary before signing. The buyer's negotiating position becomes weaker after money is transferred.

Could I still pay after an unexpected expense?

Stress the budget with a repair and one lower-income month. Owning a home does not remove other household risks.

If the answer requires a credit card or overdraft, the contribution has consumed too much available cash.

Have I compared a standard mortgage with Noua Casă?

Compare initial cash, interest, restrictions and processing time. A lower deposit is only one part of the decision.

Confirm the current programme and participating lender. The public 2025 guide does not automatically prove 2026 conditions.

Keep the dated simulation and request another if price, income or the property changes before final approval.