American buyers are not refused because of their income; they are refused because of paperwork. FATCA reporting, US tax residency and dollar-denominated income make a file heavier for the bank, and most branches simply decline rather than handle it. The banks that do accept American clients handle them well, and that is where your file belongs from day one.
What makes an American file different
- FATCA: French banks must report accounts held by US persons, which several lenders avoid entirely.
- USD income is discounted for exchange-rate risk before your debt-to-income ratio is calculated.
- US credit scores are not used in France; French banks read your bank statements, income stability and existing debt instead.
- Down payment expectations are typically 30 to 40 % of the price, plus acquisition costs.
- Documents (tax returns, employment letters, trust structures) often need certified French translation.
Property types that work well for US buyers
Most of my American clients buy a second home on the Riviera — Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Cannes, Menton — or an apartment they let seasonally when they are not there. Both are financeable, but they are not underwritten the same way: a property intended for short-term letting is scrutinised more closely and the expected income is only partly counted.
Buying through an SCI (a French property-holding company) is possible and sometimes useful for succession planning, but it interacts with US tax treatment. Decide the structure with your US tax adviser before the bank application, not after — changing it midway restarts the process.
Timeline from the United States
Expect 10 to 14 weeks between an accepted offer and the signature at the notaire. Translation, AML checks on the origin of funds and the time-zone gap with the bank account for most of the difference compared with a French resident file.
The practical answer is to start before you make an offer: with a clear view of your borrowing capacity and a pre-assembled file, you can commit to a compromis de vente with a realistic financing condition instead of an optimistic one.
Working with me from the US
Free 30-minute video call in English at a time that works for your time zone, secure document sharing, bank interviews run by me, electronic signature, and power of attorney at the notaire if you cannot travel.
My fee is 2 % of the loan amount, minimum 4 500 €, and only due if you sign the mortgage I negotiated.
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FAQ
- Yes. US citizens and US residents can obtain a French mortgage, though fewer banks accept them because of FATCA reporting obligations. Files are usually approved when the down payment and income documentation meet the lender's non-resident criteria.
- Typically 30 to 40 % of the purchase price, plus acquisition costs paid from your own funds.
- No. French banks do not use US credit bureaus. They assess your bank statements, income stability, existing debt and savings left after the purchase.
- Sometimes, usually for succession reasons. Because it interacts with US tax treatment, decide with your US tax adviser before the bank application — the structure is difficult to change once the file is underway.
- Yes, to receive the funds and pay the monthly instalments. I arrange it remotely with the lending bank.