Borrowing guides & glossary

The concepts every loan page refers to โ€” Euribor, APR, LTV, state guarantees, affordability rules and your consumer rights โ€” explained in plain language, without jargon and without sales pitch.

EURIBOR

What is Euribor? The rate behind your loan payment

Euribor (Euro Interbank Offered Rate) is the benchmark interest rate at which European banks lend to each other, used as the reference rate for most variable-rate loans in the eurozone.

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APR / KKM

APR and KKM explained: the only fair way to compare loans

The annual percentage rate of charge (APRC; Estonian: krediidi kulukuse mรครคr, KKM) expresses the total yearly cost of a loan โ€” interest plus all mandatory fees โ€” as a single percentage.

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LTV

LTV and the down payment: how much house your money buys

Loan-to-value (LTV) is the ratio between a loan and the value of the asset securing it. In Estonian mortgage lending, the standard cap is 85% โ€” implying a 15% down payment.

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KredEx

The KredEx guarantee: buying a home with a smaller deposit

The KredEx housing loan guarantee is an Estonian state-backed surety that lets eligible buyers โ€” typically first-home buyers and young families โ€” take a mortgage with a smaller down payment.

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DSTI

DSTI: the affordability rule that sizes your loan

Debt-service-to-income (DSTI) is the share of your net monthly income consumed by loan payments. Estonian banks must keep new mortgage borrowers under a DSTI limit set by Eesti Pank.

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14-day right

The 14-day withdrawal right: cancelling a loan you just signed

EU consumer credit law gives borrowers a 14-day right of withdrawal: a consumer credit agreement can be cancelled within 14 days of signing, repaying principal plus accrued interest, without penalty.

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