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HOMEROCK

"Build your house upon the rock."

— Matthew 7:24–25 · count the cost, build on rock (Luke 14:28)

A Little Rock Guyana family tool · Berbice, Guyana

The Mortgage Calculator

Guyana banks, Guyana dollars, 2026 rates. Know your monthly payment before you walk into the bank.

US$ figures are a convenience view at the rate you enter. The Bank of Guyana's site showed US$ Buy G$207.98 / Sell G$210.45 on 17 Aug 2026, and its weekly report put the commercial-bank market mid-rate near G$215 — enter the rate your bank actually gives you (see Sources).

Monthly payment
Total repaid over the term
Total interest paid
Interest in year one relief base

Switch banks — same loan, every bank 🏦

Ranked by monthly payment at each lender's published tier for this loan size (sources & dates below). "From" rates — your final offer depends on your profile, equity and term; confirm with each bank. Some lenders cap the loan size or term (NBS G$30M · Republic Low Cost G$30M · Baroda low-income G$2M · Hand-in-Hand low-income G$8M/15 yrs).

Mortgage Interest Relief — money back at tax time 💰

The single most under-used benefit in Guyanese homeownership.

Under Section 20A(1) of the Income Tax Act, Cap. 81:01, a first-time home owner who occupies the property may deduct the interest paid on a housing mortgage from a licensed financial institution or approved mortgage finance company. The GRA's published ceiling: the principal borrowed must not exceed G$30,000,000 (in effect since January 1, 2020 — GRA policy page updated February 2026).

RuleWhat it means for you
Loan principal up to G$30MCovers most first homes in Guyana today
Must be your first homeInvestment / rental properties do not qualify
You must live in itOwner-occupied residence only
Loan from a licensed lenderBank, NBS, or approved mortgage finance company
Apply to GRA firstForm 1 (application) + Form 2 (lender's letter); once approved, attach the lender's Form 4 to your annual Income Tax Return each year
Paid as a refundGRA credits the relief to your bank account

📰 In June 2026 the Government announced at the Building Expo that first-time homeowners can deduct the full interest paid on mortgages up to G$30M (press: Kaieteur News / iNews, 26 June 2026). As of 17 Aug 2026 the GRA's own pages had not yet been updated to show that change — ask the GRA's MIR Unit for the current position before you count on it.

Every year when you claim, the interest you paid comes back to you — more disposable income in your pocket. Keep your bank's yearly mortgage-interest statement (Form 4) and file it with your return.

2026 rates at a glance 🏦

Every figure below was read from the lender's own published page (or its own press release) on 17 August 2026 — sources at the bottom.

LenderRate (from)Published tiers & notes
GBTI3.50%Effective May 1, 2026 (bank release): 3.50% ≤G$4M · 3.70% G$4–9M · 4.25% G$9–20M · 4.75% G$20–40M · 4.99% G$40–60M · 5.25%+ above (negotiable)
GBTI Advantage3.00%Do more with GBTI (salary, cards, insurance, investments) and cut your mortgage rate by up to 50 basis points
Citizens Bank3.50%Bank site: 3.5% ≤G$10M · 3.7% ≤G$20M · 4.6% ≤G$30M (cut June 2026) · 5.0% ≤G$50M · terms up to 35 years · up to 100% construction financing
Republic Bank3.50%Low Cost Mortgage (first-time, max G$30M): 3.50% ≤G$9M · 4.25% G$9–20M · 5% G$20–30M. Easy Home Loans: from 6% (no ceiling, up to 40 yrs). "Mortgage Move" switch offer (press, May 2026): 4.70% for G$20–40M, zero negotiation & attorney fees
Demerara Bank3.50%3.5% ≤G$4M · 3.7% G$4–9M · 4.5% G$9–15M · 5% G$15–40M · 8% above G$40M · up to 30 years
Scotiabank4.00%Promotional: "rates as low as 4%" + 3% cash back (max G$500,000, new funds) · amortise up to 30 years
New Building Society (NBS)5.00%5% p.a. up to the G$30M maximum · variable rate · up to 30 years (concrete). Bank of Guyana reports NBS's average residential rate at 4.38% (June 2026)
Bank of Baroda6.00%General housing 6.00–8.00%, up to G$200M, max 25 years · low-income scheme 6.80% up to G$2M
Hand-in-Hand Trust6.10%Low-income mortgage 6.1%, ceiling G$8M, 15 years max · regular residential 10%

💡 Shop the tiers, not the slogans: on a G$15M loan, Citizens' 3.70% beats several banks whose "from" rate looks lower but steps up sooner. Bring the numbers from this calculator to at least three banks and let them compete for you.

Budget 2026 (26 Jan 2026, para 6.12–6.13) raised the low-income mortgage ceiling from G$20M to G$30M and extended the G$30M window to approved insurance companies; Bank of Guyana reports the low-income mortgage rate at 3.63% (June 2026). For scale: the commercial banks' overall weighted-average lending rate is 7.72% — mortgage money is the cheapest money in Guyana. Rates change — always confirm the current rate and your qualifying tier with the bank before signing anything.

Closing costs — what the house really costs 📜

The price on paper is not the price at the Registry. Estimate the rest from the Registries' own published schedules.

Duty (2% of value)
Registry fee
Attorney's legal fees (your estimate)
Estimated total closing costs

The official schedules (checked 17 Aug 2026): Transport at the Deeds Registry — duty 2% of value (Tax Act Cap. 80:01 s.13(1)) plus a general fee of ½ of 1%; Transport also requires Official Gazette advertisement and passes before the court. Certificate of Title at the Land Registry — duty 2% + fee ¼ of 1% + Assurance Fund 1/10 of 1% + $30 certificate. There is no general G$-value exemption band on ordinary sales. Attorney's conveyancing fees have no published official scale — around 1–2% of value is commonly quoted, but agree the figure with your attorney in writing. Your attorney and the Registry give the exact final numbers.

Can you afford it? — the honest check 🧮

A rule of thumb, not a promise: banks size your loan from your income. GBTI, for example, publishes that repayment should not exceed 30% of gross monthly income.

Room in your budget for a mortgage payment
Rough maximum loan at that payment

⚖️ This is a rule of thumb only, not a bank decision and not financial advice. Each bank applies its own affordability test, equity requirement (5–20%), insurance requirements and age limits. Use it to walk in prepared — then let the bank do its own numbers.

What to bring to the bank 🗂️

Compiled from the banks' own published requirement lists (NBS, Republic, GBTI, Demerara, Citizens — links in Sources). Bring the lot and you walk in strong.

  • ID — national ID card or valid passport (every applicant); some banks also ask for a passport-size photo
  • TIN certificate (Taxpayer Identification Number)
  • Proof of address — recent utility bill or similar (Republic: issued within the last 8 months; Citizens: within 3 months)
  • Job letter stating position, years of service and income, plus your two most recent payslips
  • Self-employed instead: business registration, financial statements / income & expenditure statement, and tax returns
  • Savings / loan statements from any other institution, plus hire-purchase or credit-union commitments
  • The property papers: Agreement of Sale or Letter of Intent · copy of the Transport, Certificate of Title or Lease · valuation report (current, or projected for construction)
  • Building? Approved building plan + a detailed signed estimate + photo of the site/building with the lot number visible
  • Up-to-date rates & taxes and GWI receipts for the property
  • Your equity — proof of your contribution (typically 5–20% depending on the bank and product)
  • Insurance — be ready to assign fire/building insurance and, at most banks, life insurance for the loan value

Each bank's exact list differs slightly — check its page (Sources below) or call ahead. Processing fees are small (application fees are typically G$3,000–G$7,000; negotiation/commitment fees around 0.25%–1%).

Government housing programmes 🏘️

Official doors — links only, straight to the Ministry and CH&PA.

The IDB/Government Core Home Support Programme handed over its final houses in March 2026 (per CH&PA) — ask CH&PA what has replaced it.

The road to your keys 🔑

  1. Count the cost first. Use the calculator above; aim for a monthly payment no more than a third of your household income.
  2. Get pre-qualified. Take job letter, payslips, TIN, and ID to the bank — know your ceiling before you shop.
  3. Find the property & agree the price. Check whether it is Transport or Certificate of Title land.
  4. Hire your attorney. They search the title, prepare the agreement of sale, and carry the transfer through the Registry.
  5. Bank valuation & approval. The bank values the property and issues the loan commitment.
  6. Pay closing costs, sign, transfer. Stamp duty, fees, and the Registry process (Transport passes before a judge).
  7. Claim your Mortgage Interest Relief every single year with GRA. That is your money.
⚖️ HomeRock is an educational tool, NOT financial, tax or legal advice, and not a substitute for a licensed advisor, your bank, your attorney or the GRA. Figures are estimates based on the lenders' and agencies' published rates and rules as checked on 17 August 2026 (see Sources) — they change. Always verify current rates with your bank, duties and fees with your attorney and the Registries, and tax relief with the Guyana Revenue Authority (gra.gov.gy) before making decisions.

Sources — every figure, dated 📚

Where each number on this page comes from. All checked 17 August 2026.

Banks' own websites sometimes lag their press announcements (we saw it at three banks on check day). When a page and a press release disagree, this site shows both and says which is which — and your bank's loan officer has the final word.

How to Pay 💳

For Little Rock services & support — HomeRock itself is free to use and share.

🇬🇾 MMG (Mobile Money)592-615-6085
🏦 Republic Bank (Guyana)Acct 962353555597Naomi Christie · Savings · Water Street Branch
🇺🇸 Zelle (Bank of America)naomichristiegy@gmail.com
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