The primary housing market in Ukraine is experiencing a significant lack of interest from homeowners holding residential certificates, primarily due to stringent time and financial constraints imposed by government programs. This observation was made by the press service of the Ukrainian Financial Housing Company (Ukrfinzhytlo).
Key Issues:
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Neglect of New Constructions: The limited timeframe for reserving funds and a cap of 2 million UAH render the primary real estate market unattractive.
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“eOselya” Program: The current initiative does not allow certificates to be used for repaying existing mortgage loans.
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Vouchers for IDPs: A new assistance component for internally displaced persons from temporarily occupied territories has been launched in Ukraine, offering a fixed amount of 2 million UAH.
According to Ukrfinzhytlo, the low demand for primary housing is not related to the accreditation process for developers by banks. Instead, the limitations inherent in the certificate usage mechanism are the primary reasons for the lack of interest in new constructions.
One of the critical issues is the restricted reservation period for funds under the certificate, currently set at only 30 calendar days. This duration is often insufficient for individuals to select a property, apply for a mortgage, undergo bank checks, receive a loan decision, and finalize the transaction, as explained by Ukrfinzhytlo.
Additionally, the maximum housing price limit of 2 million UAH further narrows the options available for families seeking two- or three-bedroom accommodations.
Collaboration with “eOselya”
The housing certificate “eVidnovlennya” can now be used for the down payment under the “eOselya” program. However, official statistics from Ukrfinzhytlo indicate disappointing results: only 21 agreements have been made combining both programs. Of these, 8 agreements (38%) pertain to purchasing property in the primary market, while 13 agreements (62%) involve the secondary market.
Such low figures are attributed to the fact that current legislation does not permit the use of certificates for repaying existing mortgage loans.
In response, Ukrfinzhytlo has initiated changes to the regulatory framework to enable the use of certificates for settling previously obtained mortgage loans.
New Instrument: Vouchers for IDPs
As reported by Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Olexiy Kuleba, a new component of the “eVidnovlennya” program—”Housing for IDPs from Temporarily Occupied Territories”—was launched in early May this year. This initiative provides housing vouchers with a fixed amount of 2 million UAH.
Currently, priority for these vouchers is given to veterans and military personnel with combatant status or individuals with disabilities resulting from the war.
In the initial funding phase, 3,296 applications for housing vouchers totaling 6.59 billion UAH from the state budget have been approved.
Moreover, as noted by Olexiy Kuleba, during the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in June, efforts will be made to secure funding for approximately 1,000 additional vouchers.
The primary housing market in Ukraine faces challenges due to strict regulations and limited financial options, leading to low demand for new constructions. Government initiatives like the 'eOselya' program and housing vouchers for IDPs aim to address these issues but have seen limited uptake.