Favorable loans

Start of housing package: what Styrians need to know!

The creation of new living space is to be made easier (symbolic image).

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Because fewer and fewer Styrians can afford to buy their own home, the provincial government has once again put together a large support package. Around 300 million euros are to be invested by the end of 2026 - including in a young family bonus, home ownership subsidies and renovation support. This is the most important information!

The wave of inflation in recent years has made it almost impossible for many Styrians to buy or renovate their own home: "We want to make housing more affordable for Styrians again," says Governor Christopher Drexler. Together with his SP deputy Anton Lang, he presented the key points of the new housing offensive on Thursday: Almost 300 million euros are to be invested over the next two and a half years - with the province of Styria itself borrowing the money from the federal government at low cost. "This puts us at the forefront of housing policy throughout Austria," says Lang.

This step was necessary not only because of the sharp rise in the cost of building and renovating, but also because of the so-called KIM regulation, according to which you can only get a building loan from the banks if you can raise at least 20 percent of the required funds yourself: "This thing has to go, it's overregulation in its purest form and prevents many Styrians from enjoying their housing happiness," said Drexler pithily.

Presenting the Styrian housing offensive together: Club Chairman Hannes Schwarz, Styrian Provincial Governor Christopher Drexler, Deputy Provincial Governor Anton Lang and Regional Minister Simone Schmiedtbauer

(Bild: Land Steiermark/binder)

Here are five important facts about the new housing offensive:

In welchem Zeitraum hat man Anspruch auf das neue Förderpaket?

The housing offensive officially starts on September 1 and is scheduled to run until the end of 2026. However, projects that are already underway (home purchases or renovation measures that have not yet been completed) can also be submitted from next Monday.

Welche Förderungen gibt es, wenn ich mir ein Eigenheim anschaffen möchte?

"The existing home ownership subsidy has been revised once again - from September 1, it will not only apply to the construction of a new home, but also to the first-time purchase and renovation of a house or apartment," explains Simone Schmiedtbauer, the provincial councillor responsible. Up to 200,000 euros in state loans are made available. The loan has a term of 30 years, the interest rate is staggered, starting at 0.25 percent per year and rising to a maximum of 1.5 percent in the last five years of the term.

Welche Förderungen gibt es für Jungfamilien?

The existing young family bonus has been revised; in addition to loans, in future there will be a one-off payment of up to EUR 10,000 for first-time home ownership (property or rental): Young families (at least one partner must be under 35, but both must be under 40) can use this to subsidize not only the purchase of living space, but also the furnishings.

Wie sollen mehr leistbare Mietwohnungen entstehen?

"We are igniting the multi-storey construction turbo", says SPÖ Club Chairman Hannes Schwarz. The construction of multi-storey residential buildings in the non-profit sector had come to an almost complete standstill due to inflation, which is why the state government had already increased subsidies in 2023 and also released state loans for such buildings. This approach is now to be stepped up, with the aim of getting 5,500 subsidized rental or owner-occupied apartments on track in the coming years.

Wie schaut es mit Förderungen für thermische Sanierungen aus?

In addition to the many existing subsidies for thermal renovations, there is now also a package for low household incomes (lower third of income). They will receive support for up to 100 percent of the refurbishment costs (maximum 30,000 euros) when renovating their home. This measure is limited until the end of 2025 and is intended to make around 750 Styrian homes "climate-ready".

All the information is summarized in a new brochure, which is available at 
banks and municipal offices and can also be found online .