We have a solution for every customer | D bank

People seeking financing for property transactions represent buyers across the country according to different regions and their economic situation. Our local experts are prepared to meet any demand, says Mariana Petkova, Head of Branch Network at Commercial Bank D AD.

What kind of customers are looking for financing for property transactions and when?

At D Bank, we never divide our clients into essential or unimportant - all are special and we approach each one with the necessary expertise.

We insist on both a personal approach and showing the client that they are not just another line in an Excel spreadsheet.

Each transaction is looked at individually. We do our best to turn a potential client into a real one and offer a workable solution for both parties. I notice a tendency for clients to come to us prepared, with a realized need for the property and enough financial literacy about the upcoming home loan and its terms. This makes our job and the whole process easier.

How does the bank accompany the customer in the search and selection of a financial service, do you do "telesales" services?

We can afford to have this approach to the customer and it is one of our hallmarks along with our really good loan terms. We also have buildings in our portfolio that we have financed. For these, we offer even better terms for home loans because we know the builder well and he has gone through the internal checks within the bank for corporate credit.

What are the risk situations in such a partnership for both parties?

Banking institutions in Bulgaria are at an extremely high level in terms of risk management. Each bank has built a lean and complete system for assessing different types of risk according to the type of business. These are strictly regulated internal banking norms and rules, adopted precisely for this purpose, with constant monitoring also by our supervisory authority.

In this way, we have a response to literally every hypothetical risk situation to react appropriately.

The level of interest rates is also determined by the 'risk premium' - whether we are talking about an individual country, a company, or an individual.

What do we need to keep in mind when we are looking for credit for our property purchases?

People often focus only on the interest rate, and there are many additional conditions in a loan. It is more correct to look at the so-called APR (Annual Percentage Rate), which better reflects the actual costs that are associated with the loan. Equally important is the proper distribution of the loan effort over the years, and a healthy level for the ratio of the loan amount to the borrowers' income should not exceed 40%. This creates a buffer that can be used in the event of potential negative events in the future. We all want incomes to rise and interest rates to fall, but sometimes the reverse happens, so some financial conservatism is never superfluous. And most importantly, whatever happens, turn to your bank to find the solutions together. And properties always have investment value too - it's a matter of accounts and proper timing.

What are your bank's services that differentiate you from others in the market?

The individual approach to each client. D Bank is one of the smaller banks in the market, so we can afford to treat our customers similarly, which in turn is key, especially for home lending. We aim more for a partnership relationship with them in both retail and business lending.

And the fact is that we have long-standing relationships with most of our customers.

How would you characterize your work with Unique Estates?

In a word: easy. And if it has to be two, I would add fruitfully. We are privileged to be able to work with such a loyal partner. Unique Estates know-how, they have the know-how and the mutual synergy leads to better results. I believe that the positive results for both parties will only increase in the coming years.