Real estate : world-class expertise

While Groupe BPCE has a strong presence in France, where it finances more than one out of every four mortgages, it can also draw on international operations and, depending on the markets, on recognized expertise in financing, investment and advisory services.

The financier of one out of four home loans to individuals

Groupe BPCE has made Housing and Real estate one of the priorities of its VISION 2030 strategic plan, with the aim of becoming a leader in access to housing for all and for all types of needs. In France, it finances more than one out of every four mortgages for retail customers thanks to the Banques Populaires, Caisses d’Epargne and Palatine networks, and serves corporate and professional clients through its various entities (see infographic). Internationally as well, the group benefits from the combined expertise of specialized businesses that provide advisory, financing and investment solutions tailored to each market.

To recap, three priorities have been set: to provide more housing across all regions, to support the purchasing power of French people (notably through financial innovation), and to support the renovation and adaptation of existing housing, so that everyone can finance the impact of transitions, particularly the energy transition. To support this momentum, the group has set up a dedicated division, managed within the Financial Solutions and Expertise division, which enables it to operate across the entire value chain of the market.

Several major projects were announced on the French market in spring 2026 to extend the group’s offering and cover the selection and distribution of housing, in addition to financing and investment – notably a planned joint venture with Nexity and the acquisition of two Crédit Mutuel Arkéa companies.

Financing real estate projects on international markets

Internationally, the group relies on the expertise of its specialized businesses, particularly in financing, where there have also been several recent developments.
Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking operates in the European, American and, since March 2026, Australian markets, each with specific characteristics that are fundamental to understanding its activities. In European countries, financing of the real estate sector is based mainly on bank lending, and part of these loans is funded through bond issues on the markets, following the “Pfandbriefbank” model (for France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom). Large-scale or complex real estate loans are often syndicated among a banking pool that involves other banks, including group entities, particularly in France, where Natixis CIB acts as arranger or lead manager.

Very different from European markets, the US model is much more developed around capital markets transactions, through CLOs (securitization of bank loans), RMBS (securities backed by residential receivables) and CMBS (securities backed by commercial real estate receivables), for example, where Natixis CIB has real expertise, particularly in origination, which is quite rare for a European player. Finally, in Asia, the Group has been active in the sector in Australia since March, with strong development potential supported by local teams and a familiar legal framework, in a resilient economic environment.

Since May 2026, the Group has also gained the expertise of novobanco on the Portuguese and Spanish markets. In Portugal, the bank supports local and international clients across all asset classes (hotels, offices, shopping centers, retail stores, supermarkets, owner-occupied residential, student housing, logistics, retirement homes, rental residential) – for an average ticket size of €25 million per transaction. In Spain, the team is smaller and the bank participates in syndications (average tickets of around €35 million, exclusively based on income-producing assets), in line with the main international banks operating in the market.

Evaluating and supporting real estate decisions

In terms of valuation and advisory services, the Group benefits from privileged access to BPCE Expertises Immobilières, the entity responsible for real estate appraisal within BPCE Solutions immobilières. Active across all types of assets in France, BPCE Expertises also relies on a pan-European network of experts present in 16 countries. These services cater to a wide range of clients, from private and institutional investors to bank lenders, in connection with loan securitization, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions. BPCE Expertises Immobilières is currently working to create joint value-added opportunities with Natixis and AEW, as well as with the many banking subsidiaries of Groupe BPCE in Europe and beyond.

Finally, for its investment activities, asset management, real estate funds and mandates, the Group manages a real estate portfolio in Europe, the United States and Asia through AEW, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, mainly on behalf of global institutional investors. In the face of multiple challenges – energy transition, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the geopolitical and macroeconomic environment – these experts confirm the importance of cultivating close relationships with their clients and partners, including within the group, diversifying geographically and by sector, and keeping asset management at the heart of the strategy.

• In France, nearly 80% of real estate transactions require a home loan. As a result, the interest rate on loans is the key variable in the use of credit and the amount borrowed. Discover analyses of the French market carried out by the BPCE L’observatoire team.
• Last market’s trends, the boom in the hotel sector, the dynamism of student housing in Europe, the (good) outlook for the Australian market. Find all Research studies on the Natixis CIB website.