MFS, which operates the mortgage comparison and assessment service “Moge Check,” conducted a web survey in October 2026 of 1,000 men and women aged 25–54 nationwide. The results showed that many people who borrowed within the past year expect variable rates to reach 2% or higher and tend to invest actively in equities.
MFS, which operates the mortgage comparison and assessment service “Moge Check,” conducted a web survey among 1,000 men and women aged 25–54 nationwide. The results show that 85% of respondents who took out a mortgage within the past year expect variable rates to be 2% or higher. By contrast, the proportion of people who borrowed within the past year exceeds 73%.
Of those who borrowed within the past year, 89% invest in equities, indicating a stronger tendency to invest as a precaution against rising interest rates. The survey also found that 83% of borrowers currently repaying variable-rate loans keep their borrowing to no more than seven times their annual income.
There was also a difference in the borrowing-to-income multiple. Among those who borrowed within the past year, 13% kept borrowing to no more than five times their annual income, compared with 38% among those who borrowed more than a year ago. Rising property prices are presumed to be behind this difference.
The survey provides valuable data for understanding attitudes toward mortgages and market trends. Investment activity as a way of preparing for future interest-rate increases is expected to remain a focus of attention.