Who I work with
My non-resident clients typically fall into one of these profiles:
- EU expats living in London, Brussels, Geneva, Luxembourg buying a holiday home or investment property on the Côte d'Azur
- British buyers looking for a second home in Nice, Cannes, Antibes or a Riviera village
- Asian buyers (Singapore, Hong Kong) with international income structures
- Cross-border employees (Monaco, Switzerland, Luxembourg) with mixed-currency income
Find the page that matches your situation
Lending rules differ a lot depending on where you live and which currency you are paid in. Start with the guide written for your profile:
- French mortgage for UK buyers — sterling income, post-Brexit rules, 30 % down payment
- French mortgage for American buyers — FATCA, USD income, SCI and second homes
- French mortgage for expats living abroad — buying back home while working overseas
Your purchase, step by step
- Free discovery call (30 min). We check your borrowing capacity, your down payment and the realistic budget for your project.
- File audit and bank shortlist. I assemble your documents and select the two or three lenders whose current appetite matches your profile.
- Pre-approval before you make an offer. A financing position in writing makes your offer credible to a French seller and protects you in the compromis de vente.
- Compromis de vente. Signed with a financing condition sized on the real timeline, not an optimistic one.
- Bank underwriting and negotiation. I present and defend your file, then negotiate rate, lender's insurance, guarantee and early-repayment terms.
- Mortgage offer. Signed electronically, followed by the legal cooling-off period.
- Notaire signing. In person or by power of attorney, with the funds released by the bank.
Realistic total: 8 to 12 weeks from accepted offer to keys, and up to 14 weeks from outside Europe.
The specifics of a non-resident mortgage in France
Down payment. French banks require a larger apport for non-residents. Typical thresholds in 2026:
- EU residents paid in EUR: 20 % minimum (10 % notaire + 10 % apport)
- UK residents paid in GBP: 30 % minimum
- Swiss residents paid in CHF: 30 % minimum
- Complex profiles (self-employed, crypto income, offshore structures): case by case
Currency of income. Only a few French banks accept a mortgage in euros when your income is in another currency. BNP Paribas International Buyers, Crédit Agricole Britline (for UK residents) and a couple of private banks are the main options.
Debt-to-income ratio. The French cap is 35 % (including the future mortgage) — but banks apply currency haircuts on foreign income (typically -10 to -30 %) to hedge FX risk.
Documents checklist for a non-resident mortgage
A complete file on day one saves two to three weeks. Here is what French banks ask non-resident borrowers for:
- Identity: valid passport, proof of current address abroad (utility bill under 3 months)
- Income (employees): last 3 payslips, employment contract, last 2 tax returns
- Income (self-employed): last 2–3 years of certified accounts and tax returns
- Bank statements: last 3 months for every account, including savings
- Down payment: proof of funds and their origin (anti-money-laundering checks)
- Existing loans: mortgage statements and repayment schedules
- Family status: marriage certificate or prenuptial agreement if applicable
- The property: signed compromis de vente or a detailed description and price
Documents not in French or English may need a certified translation. I review everything before it reaches a bank, so your file is presented once — and properly.
Total budget: what to plan beyond the price
- Notaire fees (mostly taxes): about 7–8 % of the price for an existing property, 2–3 % for a new build
- Down payment: 20 to 30 % of the price depending on your residence and currency
- Loan guarantee (mortgage registration or guarantee fund): about 1 to 2 % of the loan
- Lender's insurance: compulsory, and fully negotiable — often the biggest saving
- Bank and broker fees: my fee is 2 % of the loan, minimum 4 500 €, paid only on success
- Currency transfers: use a specialist FX provider rather than your high-street bank
100 % remote process, in English
You do not need to fly to France to get your mortgage. The full process runs remotely:
- Discovery call in English by video (30 min, free)
- Secure document upload via encrypted client portal
- Bank interviews handled by me on your behalf
- Mortgage offer signed electronically (French law allows it since 2022)
- Notaire signing possible via power of attorney if you cannot travel
Where I help you buy on the Côte d'Azur
My local expertise covers the entire French Riviera: Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Cap d'Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Cannes, Mougins, Valbonne, Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence. I know which banks fund which micro-market — a villa in Cap d'Antibes doesn't go through the same channel as an apartment in Nice Carré d'Or.
Whether it's a holiday home in Cannes, a villa investment in Antibes, a rental apartment in Nice or a retirement home in Menton: I structure the right financing.
In-depth guides in English
Fees & how I get paid
My brokerage fee is 2 % of the loan amount, minimum 4 500 €. You only pay if you sign the mortgage I negotiated. Discovery call, file audit, bank shortlist and negotiation are all included — no upfront fee, no hidden costs.
On a typical 400 000 € non-resident mortgage, my clients save an average of 15 000 to 30 000 € over the life of the loan (rate, insurance, guarantee) compared to a direct-to-bank offer — my fee is amortised many times over.
Free discovery call · 30 min
Book a free call with Audrey about your French mortgage
In English, by video. Reply within 24 business hours. No obligation.
FAQ
- Yes. French banks finance non-residents (EU citizens, expats, foreign nationals) provided you meet the file requirements: stable income, sufficient down payment, clean credit history. The down payment required is higher than for residents (typically 20 to 40 %).
- As a rule of thumb: 20 % if you are an EU citizen paid in euros, 30 % if you are paid in another EU currency, 40 % if you are paid in GBP or CHF. I negotiate to optimise these thresholds based on your profile.
- Yes, but only a small number of French banks accept currency-mismatched income. My network includes those lenders — BNP Paribas International Buyers, Crédit Agricole Britline (for UK residents), and a few private banks for high-net-worth files.
- Plan for 8 to 12 weeks between the accepted offer and the notaire signing — longer than for residents (6 to 8 weeks). The extra time covers international document translation, source-of-funds checks (AML) and cross-border underwriting.
- Not always. Most steps are handled remotely (video calls, e-signatures, secure document sharing). The final signing at the notaire can be done via power of attorney if you cannot travel.
- Passport, proof of residence, 3 last payslips (or accountant statements if self-employed), 2 last tax returns, 3 months of bank statements, marriage contract if applicable, proof of down payment origin. All non-French documents may need certified translation.
- Yes. Furnished rentals (LMNP), classic rentals, seasonal rentals on the Côte d'Azur — I regularly structure investment mortgages for international investors, with banks that recognise expected rental income in your debt-to-income ratio.
- Yes, a French account is required to receive the funds and pay the monthly installments by SEPA direct debit. I help you open one with the same bank that grants the mortgage — done remotely.
- My brokerage fee is 2 % of the loan amount (minimum 4 500 €), charged only if you sign the mortgage I negotiated. Discovery call and file audit are free of charge.