Yes, and in the Dordogne and the Lot the main obstacle is often the size of the loan. Stone houses here sell at lower prices than on the coasts, while many banks set a minimum loan for non-residents, commonly €100,000–250,000, and on small loans fixed fees push the all-in rate towards the legal cap. Renovation works can be added to the loan when they are quoted, and a gîte run as a business is assessed on its accounts.
Buying a house in the Dordogne with a mortgage
You can buy a house in the Dordogne with a mortgage from abroad on the same terms as anywhere in France. British buyers have been settling around Bergerac, Sarlat, Eymet and the Lot valley for decades, and the community is long established. Most buy stone houses, from village houses to farmhouses with barns and land.
Banks look at resale. A house in or near a village with shops sells more readily than an isolated property at the end of a lane, and some lenders will lend less on the second.
When the loan is below a bank's minimum
Lower prices mean smaller loans, and many banks set a minimum for non-residents, commonly between €100,000 and €250,000. Below it, the file is hard to place.
Small loans also run into the legal cap (taux d'usure), which applies to the all-in rate including insurance and fees. This quarter it is 4.09% under 10 years, 4.68% from 10 to under 20 years and 5.40% from 20 years. Arrangement fees and file costs are largely fixed, so on a small loan they weigh more heavily on the all-in rate. Options include a lender with a lower minimum, a longer term, adding quoted works to the loan, or buying with your own funds.
Renovations and barn conversions
Many houses here need work, and barns are often bought for conversion. Banks commonly include works in the loan once French contractors have quoted them, and adding them can lift a small loan above a bank's minimum. Turning a barn into living space usually needs planning permission from the town hall, and lenders generally want it granted before they release funds for the works.
Buying a gîte business
Some buyers want a property with gîtes already let to holidaymakers. When the gîtes are run as a business, banks assess them on two to three years of accounts, and they discount income that depends on a short summer season. Booking figures from the seller without accounts carry little weight.
Since the Le Meur law of 19 November 2024, communes have had more power to restrict furnished tourist lets. Ask the town hall how it applies before you rely on gîte income.
Next steps in the Dordogne and the Lot
Give us the price and the cost of any works in the eligibility check, and we will introduce you to one broker who knows which lenders accept smaller loans this quarter. Use the mortgage calculator to see how term and fees change the all-in rate. For the notarial side, French Notaires can find you an English-speaking notaire who covers the area.
Your purchase deed is signed before a notaire. French Notaires matches English speakers with a bilingual notaire nearby, free of charge: find a notaire in the region.
Questions
What is the minimum mortgage a French bank will lend to a non-resident?
It varies by bank and by where you live, and commonly runs from €100,000 to €250,000. A broker knows which lenders accept smaller loans at any given time.
Can I get a mortgage on a house with gîtes in the Dordogne?
Yes for the house, and the gîte income is assessed on the business's accounts. Banks often discount seasonal holiday income, so your own income should carry the repayments.
Can renovation costs be added to the loan?
Commonly, when French contractors have quoted the works before the loan offer. Adding them can also bring a small loan above a bank's minimum.