Officials pose for a photo at the opening of Homes and Gardeners Expo 2026 at the Sheraton Gardens on Saturday.For many Ugandans, home ownership remains a distant dream, tied to the belief that one must have all the money upfront. dfcu Bank says that mindset is what needs to be broken.Speaking at the Homes and Gardens Expo 2026 which concluded on Sunday, September 6, at the Sheraton Gardens in Kampala, Sebastian Murokozi, the Manager in charge of Home Loans at dfcu Bank, said the bank’s role extends beyond financing to walking the customer through the entire journey.“At dfcu, we believe that home ownership should move from a dream to a reality,” Murokozi said. “You do not necessarily have to wait until you have all the money to own a home. Come and speak to us, understand your options, plan your finances, and let us help you move from collateral to keys.”Murokozi explained that dfcu understands its customers have different needs, and as such, has structured five home loan solutions to serve them. These include financing for buying a ready residential property, constructing or renovating a house, releasing equity from an existing residential property to free up capital for personal investment, refinancing a mortgage from another financial institution, and purchasing land.While clarifying that dfcu does not directly sell houses, he noted that the bank has built strong partnerships with reputable property developers and agents across the country.This network, he said, gives customers access to an extensive range of properties in both traditional and emerging suburbs that meet current market trends.On financing terms, Murokozi disclosed that customers seeking to purchase a ready property are required to contribute 15% of the open market value, while those looking to construct will need a 30% contribution.He outlined eligibility to include salaried employees who are confirmed in employment, self-employed individuals who have been in business for at least 24 months with sustainable cash flows, Ugandans in the diaspora with verifiable incomes, and expatriates living and working in Uganda with valid work permits.The dfcu home loan, according to Murokozi, comes with a repayment period of up to 20 years, financing of up to 85% of the open market value, and repayments capped at 50% of ascertainable net income on a reducing balance basis. Other benefits include competitive interest rates in both local and foreign currency, a dedicated relationship manager, 24-hour response time, disbursement within 14 working days, and free financial advisory.He further explained mortgage-related costs such as valuation fees, security perfection and stamp duty payable to URA, and insurance cover for mortgage protection, credit life, and fire and perils.On flexibility, Murokozi noted that dfcu allows joint applications for couples or partners, provided both incomes are verifiable. Customers with existing loans can still qualify if their income and collateral can support both facilities concurrently.The bank also finances acquisition of up to eight residential units on the same land title for rental purposes, and allows equity release where a customer uses an existing residential property as collateral to buy land.For those who get a windfall and wish to reduce their obligation, Murokozi said customers can channel the funds through their Relationship Manager to pay down the loan. In cases where a customer is unable to pay installments, the bank engages the client to restructure the facility based on the cause of the default. Customers wishing to transfer their mortgage from another bank can also do so, with dfcu settling the outstanding balance with the other bank to secure the title.Murokozi reiterated dfcu’s commitment to supporting sustainable home ownership and contributing to Uganda’s housing and real estate sector growth.His remarks came as stakeholders at the expo underscored the need for collaborative planning in urbanization.The expo, held under the theme “Building sustainable cities: Advancing housing, smart urbanization, green finance and climate resilient communities,” was officiated by Diana Nankunda, the Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President.Nankunda described urbanization as a national matter that cannot be sorted by urban authorities alone, warning that development ahead of planning leads to disasters such as flooding. She called for innovative funding, noting that government alone cannot fund development.“The quality of cities will eventually determine the overall quality of life of our people,” she said, adding that urbanization should be seen as an opportunity.Edwin Musiime, the founder of ECO Housing Solution, said urbanization is not about constructing taller buildings but about how the local person benefits. “If we don’t shape urbanization, urbanization will shape us,” he warned.Kenneth Kaijuka, the CEO of National Housing and Construction Company (NHCC), emphasized the need to attract long-term funding, noting that housing is the main infrastructure globally.Vincent Byendaimira, the Director of Physical Planning at KCCA, said the Authority now emphasizes vertical development, though some residents still prefer bungalows over tall buildings.The post From Collateral to Keys: dfcu Bank Unveils 5 Home Ownership Solutions at Housing Expo 2026 appeared first on Business Focus.