here are the new official rules to take advantage of this free real estate loan

New resource ceilings, zero-rate loan amount increased for the most modest… The zero-rate loan (PTZ) has had a makeover since April 1, 2024. Here are the provisions indicated in a decree published this Wednesday, April 3.

It was eagerly awaited. The implementing decree which sets in stone the new version of the zero-rate loan (PTZ) enacted by the 2024 finance law has just been published in the Official Journal this Wednesday, April 3.

As a reminder, the PTZ, as its name suggests, is an interest-free loan, dedicated to buyers of their first main residence, who are called first-time buyers. To benefit from it, many conditions must be respectedwhether in terms of borrowers’ income, location of the financed housing, its age… The finance law for 2024 has modified many of these conditions, and the decree puts them into effect from April 1, 2024.

One of the first changes made by the finance law was the refocusing on collective housing in tense areas when it comes to new housing. In fact, previously, individual houses were eligible for the PTZ, regardless of the zone. Concerning old housing with work, the purchase is still restricted to extended zones, that is to say in zones B2 and C only. Finally, no change either for the purchase of new housing as part of a rental-ownership, a real joint lease or a property ownership contract with a reduced VAT rate, accessible in all areas.

Increased resource ceilings

To be eligible for the PTZ, it has always been necessary to respect a resource condition. In fact, below a certain ceiling, which varies depending on the number of people in the household and the area of ​​the accommodation, it is not possible to benefit from this subsidized loan. Since April 1, these ceilings have been increased and published in the decree:

In addition, still with the same idea of ​​making more households eligible for the PTZ, a new income bracket was added (going from 3 to 4).

Higher PTZ

The calculation of the PTZ amount has also been reworked. The latter is determined by multiplying the amount of the operation (purchase of the good) by a quota (a percentage). The decree provides the new maximum ceilings retained to calculate the amount of the PTZas of April 1, 2024:

The old quotas, from 10% to 40%, were replaced by quotats 20%, 40% and 50%. Until now, they depended on the old or new nature of the housing, its energy performance and its geographical area. Since April 1, another element has been added: borrowers’ income.

Here are more precisely the resource ceilings to be respected for each quota, depending on the number of people in the household:

New repayment terms

With the addition of a new tranche, the decree also comes change the repayment terms of the zero rate loan. The maximum duration remains 25 years, but the deferral and repayment periods have been reduced. Furthermore, the fourth tranche, unlike the others, does not benefit from any deferment.

The decree, published this Wednesday, therefore sets the fraction of the PTZ subject to deferral and the duration of each repayment period according to the 4 different borrower profiles.

These repayment profiles are based on the total amount of borrowers’ resources divided by a family coefficient, but also according to the old or new nature of the accommodation and its geographical location. Each of the 4 profiles is thus determined according to the following table, indicated in the decree: