‘We have had a 40% to 150% increase in the volume of mortgage loans given by Chelyabinsk Region banks within the first five months of 2006. These data cover only ten banks since some crediting organizations haven’t produced any information so far,’ General Director of South Ural Mortgage Lending Agency Alexander Kondrashov announced at yesterday’s press conference.

According to Mr Kondrashov, the Agency itself registered 248 loans last year. ‘Yet we’ve given 253 loans throughout January to May, which means the Agency has already met last year’s plan,’ he said.