Guatemala: $100 Million for Mortgage Program

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has announced it will provide the loan to help develop a mortgage program in Guatemala.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The program's objective is to develop a platform with the participation of Guatemala's national banks that will make 2,000 mortgages available to families to buy homes that currently might not be able to.

OPIC is an "independent" US Government agency that helps U.S. companies make investment decisions in emerging markets.

In partnership with a network of national banks, Mercury Mortgage Finance - Guatemala Ltd. will use the $100 million loan to provide long term dollar loans to the country's low and middle-income house-buyers.

More on this topic

IFC Invests $3.5 Million in La Hipotecaria

May 2010

The International Financial Corporation (IFC) injected $3.5 million into La Hipotecaria (Holding) Inc, by purchasing equity.

Panama-based La Hipotecaria is a non-banking financial institution engaging in the generation and securitization of residential and mortgage loans.

Regional Mortgages and Real Estate

April 2012

After its ratification in El Salvador, the Regional Mortgage treaty still needs to be approved in one more country to come into force.

Salvadoran entrepreneurs welcomed the legislative ratification of the Treaty on Free Movement of Goods and Services, known as the ‘hipoteca centroamericana’ or Central American mortgage.

Housing Applications Fall 25% in Guatemala

March 2009

Applications for housing from the Institute for the Promotion of Insured Mortgages (FHA) decreased by 25% in 2008.

Guido Rodas, manager of the FHA, told La Prensa Libre that the decline in lending growth to the private sector caused the drop in demand for housing.

In his own words: "In 2007, there was a boom in lending growth, but it was not sustainable in 2008"

Mortgage Brokers

May 2009

These agents are intermediaries in mortgage management, obtaining advantages regarding both interest rates and contractual terms for their clients.

During the real estate boom in Panama, these intermediaries—people with good connections in the banking and real estate market—had foreign investors, generally from the U.S., as their main clients, assisting them in the process of obtaining mortgages for properties valued at over $200,000. Now that this type of investment is scarce, mortgage brokers are looking for Venezuelans who are arriving en masse and local clients who need to buy housing.

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