French Mortgages for UK residents
May 1st 2024, 9:59 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 3
French Mortgages for UK residents
Hi all,
Just joined the forum and it looks like a friendly place! I searched for this in the pinned, but couldn't find anything recent. I just wanted to ask if anyone had arranged a French mortgage as a UK resident, and which company they used? I've had a search and HSBC expat came up with a handful of french banks, but it has terrible reviews.
It's difficult to know where to start! We're looking in Aude, as I'll need to get back to the UK via Carcassonne a lot initially and we love the area having visited. My wife is French, although has been living in ENgland for a decade and having no experience of house buying.
Many thanks in advance for your tips and experience!
Just joined the forum and it looks like a friendly place! I searched for this in the pinned, but couldn't find anything recent. I just wanted to ask if anyone had arranged a French mortgage as a UK resident, and which company they used? I've had a search and HSBC expat came up with a handful of french banks, but it has terrible reviews.
It's difficult to know where to start! We're looking in Aude, as I'll need to get back to the UK via Carcassonne a lot initially and we love the area having visited. My wife is French, although has been living in ENgland for a decade and having no experience of house buying.
Many thanks in advance for your tips and experience!
May 2nd 2024, 5:56 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Scotland & Touraine [37]
Posts: 3,026
Re: French Mortgages for UK residents
Hi
Welcome to the forum.
I tried to buy a car on a LOA but was denied because I was not French resident.
They simply did not want to know.
Things have changed post-Brexit in this regard.
French banks are IMO much more dictatorial then in the UK.
They tell you what you can and cannot do - take it or leave it.
Have you considered renting long-term?
Renting is more common than in the UK and the French property market is nothing like in the UK.
Buying in France is not an investment. You would be lucky to make a profit even after many years and even if you have upgraded the property.
Good luck
Welcome to the forum.
I tried to buy a car on a LOA but was denied because I was not French resident.
They simply did not want to know.
Things have changed post-Brexit in this regard.
French banks are IMO much more dictatorial then in the UK.
They tell you what you can and cannot do - take it or leave it.
Have you considered renting long-term?
Renting is more common than in the UK and the French property market is nothing like in the UK.
Buying in France is not an investment. You would be lucky to make a profit even after many years and even if you have upgraded the property.
Good luck
May 2nd 2024, 6:55 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,899
Re: French Mortgages for UK residents
Hi all,
Just joined the forum and it looks like a friendly place! I searched for this in the pinned, but couldn't find anything recent. I just wanted to ask if anyone had arranged a French mortgage as a UK resident, and which company they used? I've had a search and HSBC expat came up with a handful of french banks, but it has terrible reviews.
It's difficult to know where to start! We're looking in Aude, as I'll need to get back to the UK via Carcassonne a lot initially and we love the area having visited. My wife is French, although has been living in ENgland for a decade and having no experience of house buying.
Many thanks in advance for your tips and experience!
Just joined the forum and it looks like a friendly place! I searched for this in the pinned, but couldn't find anything recent. I just wanted to ask if anyone had arranged a French mortgage as a UK resident, and which company they used? I've had a search and HSBC expat came up with a handful of french banks, but it has terrible reviews.
It's difficult to know where to start! We're looking in Aude, as I'll need to get back to the UK via Carcassonne a lot initially and we love the area having visited. My wife is French, although has been living in ENgland for a decade and having no experience of house buying.
Many thanks in advance for your tips and experience!
No experience with mortgages, but I agree with Cyrian's suggestion to rent at the beginning. For a start, you might buy property and find that you've got neighbours-from-hell, or other hidden issues. Or discover that, despite your wife's nationality, you aren't happy here and want to return to the UK. You can rent a place as a base and look around until you've found the ideal property. You aren't committed to a long-term lease, very short notice is required for tenants to cancel contracts....
Presumably you've sorted out the Visa issue?
May 2nd 2024, 4:10 pm
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 3
Re: French Mortgages for UK residents
Thank you both, will certainly look into renting- my wife has been shocked by the renting terms in the UK so maybe the experience would be better there.
I appreciate the concerns about buying a house in terms of neighbours and re-sale. Where we've been searching in Aude the market looks pretty buoyant- ie whilst we visited places got bought up from our shortlist. I guess some of the concerns such as neighbours/ unseen work apply with any property purchase, but valid points. Thanks!
I appreciate the concerns about buying a house in terms of neighbours and re-sale. Where we've been searching in Aude the market looks pretty buoyant- ie whilst we visited places got bought up from our shortlist. I guess some of the concerns such as neighbours/ unseen work apply with any property purchase, but valid points. Thanks!
