Equity Bank mortgage 2026: the honest review
Equity Bank is the largest bank in Kenya by customer base and one of the most accessible mortgage lenders, with a focus on the mass-market and mid-market borrower. Here is the honest 2026 review of Equity Bank mortgages.
Equity Bank is the largest bank in Kenya by customer base and one of the most accessible mortgage lenders, with a focus on the mass-market and mid-market borrower. Here is the honest 2026 review.
Rates and tenure
- Rate range: typically CBR plus 3 to 5 percent margin
- Tenure: up to 25 years
- Loan-to-value: typically 70 to 90 percent
Main products
- Equity Mortgage: flagship variable rate
- Diaspora Mortgage
- Construction Loan
- Affordable Housing Programme support: KMRC-aligned products
Where Equity wins
- Volume and reach; large branch network
- Strong on first-time buyer products
- Affordable Housing Programme alignment via KMRC
- Existing Equity customers get relationship pricing
Trade-offs
- Headline rate sometimes higher than KCB or NCBA
- Premium residential is not the bank’s primary focus
- Process can be slower on complex transactions
Equity’s strength is volume and reach. The bank approves more first-time buyer mortgages than any other lender in Kenya.
How Goldstay handles it
For mortgage clients with existing Equity relationship or first-time buyer profile, Equity is included in the comparison. Read also our pieces on first-time home buyer Kenya and KMRC explained.
This is one of the checks we run under property sourcing in Nairobi.
The Goldstay Legal Desk covers Kenyan and Ghanaian property law, title diligence, sale agreements, stamp duty, succession and the regulatory environment that property owners and investors encounter. Pieces are written in collaboration with our advocate partners.
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