Mortgage lending ‘on life support’ as approval rate dips below 50% in ‘26
Bahamian mortgage applications fell 5.9 percent in the first half of 2026 and the approval rate dropped 8.3 percentage points to 45.6 percent, while commercial loan applications rose 22.3 percent and overall loan approvals reached 85.3 percent.
Why it matters:Weaker mortgage approvals threaten to slow the housing market, affecting banks, realtors, attorneys and related service industries, while rising commercial loan demand and approvals signal improving business borrowing. (Negative development)