International mortgage lenders
Who actually lends on property abroad, how much they advance, and why the same file receives very different answers depending on which lender reads it.
Buyers rarely arrive with a lending question. They arrive with a house in mind and the reasonable assumption that their own bank will follow them there. It usually does not — and that is where this conversation begins.
After fourteen years in Luxembourg private banking I have sat on both sides of these files: inside the institution deciding, and beside the buyer waiting. What follows is what I would tell a client at a first meeting.
Which lenders finance property abroad for non-residents?
Three groups, and they rarely compete on the same terms. Domestic retail banks in the country where the property sits lend against the property itself, typically at 50–70 percent loan-to-value for non-residents. International private banks in Luxembourg, Switzerland or Monaco lend against an existing securities portfolio. And a small number of specialist cross-border lenders underwrite foreign income and foreign assets directly.
How much will an international lender advance?
For non-residents, 50 to 70 percent of the purchase price is the normal range across Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. In the United States, foreign national programmes usually sit between 50 and 65 percent. Portfolio-backed lending is measured against the assets pledged rather than the property, so the figure looks different again.
Why does my own bank say no?
Most domestic banks are licensed and organised to lend against property in their own jurisdiction. A refusal is usually a policy boundary, not a judgement on your finances. The same balance sheet often receives a straightforward yes from a lender whose mandate includes cross-border business.
Should I approach lenders directly or through an advisor?
You can approach them directly, and many buyers start there. The difficulty is that each lender shows you only its own answer, appetite shifts quarter by quarter, and a declined file is difficult to reopen. Running two or three suitable lenders in parallel, with the file prepared the way each one reads it, generally produces both a faster decision and better terms.
How long does an international mortgage take?
Six to twelve weeks is realistic for a local mortgage once the file is complete, longer where valuations or translated documents are involved. Portfolio-backed facilities can be arranged in days. The variable that matters most is how prepared the file is before the first lender sees it.
What documentation do international lenders ask for?
Two to three years of income evidence, tax returns from your country of residence, a statement of assets and liabilities, proof of the source of the equity, identification and proof of address, and the sale contract or reservation agreement. Where documents are not in the lender's language, sworn translations are often required.
Does currency matter when choosing a lender?
It matters considerably. A euro-denominated loan against a euro property removes currency risk from the liability. If your income is in dollars, sterling or francs, that mismatch belongs in the decision from the beginning — not discovered at the first rate reset.
When is the right moment to speak to a lender?
Before you make an offer. A buyer who already knows which lenders will engage, on what terms, and with which structure negotiates from a calmer position — and sellers in competitive markets notice the difference.
Where to go from here
Lending appetite is local, even when the client is not. The market pages set out how each country behaves in practice — which lenders engage, what they ask for and where the friction usually appears.
A personal conversation
Not sure which lenders would engage?
A confidential first conversation is usually enough to see which route fits your situation — and which questions are still open.