The Italian mortgage landscape in 2026 shows consistent contrasts between financing for a first home and a second home. National figures collected by the MutuiOnline.it observatory indicate that purchases of second residences account for 8.6% of mortgage requests, while first-home financing represents 70.6% of demand. Across the board, those who borrow for a second property tend to be older and to ask for lower amounts, accepting shorter repayment schedules. The following text unpacks the main statistics and highlights how regional markets—Abruzzo, Liguria and Basilicata—deviate from or reflect the national pattern.
Understanding these patterns helps both industry professionals and prospective buyers calibrate expectations about pricing, risk and bank offers. Key technical terms appear repeatedly in the data: average age of borrowers, amount requested, mortgage duration and loan-to-value. For clarity, loan-to-value is the ratio between the mortgage amount and the property price, expressed as a percentage, and it is a central indicator of how much equity the borrower provides up front.
National patterns: who borrows for a second home
At the national level the profile of a second-home borrower is markedly different from that of a first-time buyer. The average age for those seeking a second-home mortgage is about 45 years, compared with approximately 37 years and 2 months for first-home applicants. Typical mortgage durations are shorter for second homes: data for 2026 point to average terms around 21 years and 10 months for second properties versus roughly 26 years and 3 months for first homes. The loan-to-value ratio also tends to be lower for second-home loans (nationally near 64.8%) versus first-home financing (about 69.9%), reflecting larger down payments or additional collateral provided by more mature buyers.
Regional snapshots
Abruzzo
In Abruzzo the 2026 figures mirror national trends but add local nuances. The average mortgage duration for second homes is 18 years and 4 months, while first-home loans average 25 years and 2 months. Borrowers buying their first home in the region average 38 years and 8 months, compared with 47 years and 6 months for second-home purchasers. The typical amount requested for a second home is €96,064, against €128,572 for a first home. Average property values follow suit: €146,254 for second homes and €172,140 for primary residences, producing a lower regional loan-to-value of 65.7% for second homes and 74.7% for firsts. At provincial level, durations vary substantially: L’Aquila shows longer second-home terms (about 21 years and 8 months), while Chieti is shorter (15 years and 11 months). Age profiles differ too—Teramo records the oldest second-home buyers (55 years and 6 months), L’Aquila the youngest (39 years and 9 months). Pescara leads in requested sums for second homes (€117,298), and Teramo posts the highest average second-home value (€178,647); Teramo also has the lowest LTV (59.1%), while L’Aquila is at the high end (78.3%).
Liguria
Liguria follows the same directional differences in early 2026: second-home loans are smaller and shorter. Regionally, the average amount requested for a second home is €114,567 versus €127,852 for a first home. Typical mortgage durations are about 21 years and 3 months for second homes and around 26 years for first homes. The average age for second-home applicants in Liguria is 44 years and 2 months, compared with 36 years and 6 months for first-time buyers. Loan-to-value ratios are lower for second homes (66.9%) than for primary residences (72.7%). Among provinces, Imperia records the highest second-home loan requests (€165,385) and the priciest properties (€243,654); Savona has the longest average second-home mortgages (22 years and 10 months), while Imperia reports the shortest (19 years and 2 months). La Spezia posts the lowest regional LTV (64.2%).
Basilicata
Basilicata stands out in 2026 because second-home loans tend to be larger than first-home ones, reversing the usual pattern in some respects. Regionally, the average amount requested for a second home is €169,750, while first-home requests average €126,783. Property prices for second homes are also higher (€285,222) versus primary residences (€174,085), and the average loan-to-value for second-home purchases is lower at 59.5% compared with 72.8% for first homes. Typical mortgage durations are around 21 years and 6 months for seconds and 24 years and 5 months for firsts; borrower ages average 47 years and 7 months for second homes and 37 years and 9 months for firsts. At provincial level, Matera shows the longest second-home terms (23 years and 6 months) and the highest requests (€208,792) as well as the steepest prices (€320,625), while Potenza records shorter second-home loans (17 years and 8 months), older buyers (55 years and 6 months) and the lowest LTV (42.8%).
Implications for buyers and advisors
For prospective purchasers and brokers the takeaways are straightforward: a second-home mortgage usually means an older borrower, a lower loan-to-value, smaller or regionally variable amounts requested, and shorter mortgage durations. These elements influence pricing, required down payments and the structure of offers from lenders. Recognising local exceptions—like the higher second-home prices in Basilicata or provincial swings in Abruzzo and Liguria—helps tailor financing strategies and set realistic expectations when negotiating terms in 2026.
