Do you know if Europe's negative rates have made mortgages more or less challenging to receive. I can see it going either way as any interest is better than negative bond yields but how much effort are you going to put in if a mortgage rate is suppressed as well?

At least in Sweden they have made the rules around getting a mortgage stricter and stricter over the past 4-5 years. The income requirements have gotten stricter, they're requiring that you put down more money up front and that you make larger monthly principal payments.

No longer >100 year loans?

If the minimum down payment grows it gets harder.