German residents earn in euros and live in the EU, so French banks can typically finance 70–80% of the price on a strong file. The usual rules apply: repayments within 35% of net income, including any German loan, over 25 years at most. Instead of your SCHUFA score, French banks read your Gehaltsabrechnungen, Lohnsteuerbescheinigung and Einkommensteuerbescheid. Most French loans are fixed for the whole term.
What French banks will lend
As an EU resident with euro income, you are among the borrowers French banks find simplest to assess. Strong files can be financed at 70–80% of the price, and there is no currency risk for the bank to price in. Purchase costs of 7–8.5% on an existing home, or 2–3% on a new build, are paid from your own funds.
All your loan repayments, including borrower insurance and any mortgage on a German home, may not exceed 35% of net household income. The term is capped at 25 years, or 27 when capital repayment is deferred during the construction of a new build or during works costing more than 10% of the total purchase. Many lenders also set a minimum loan for non-residents, commonly €100,000–250,000.
Why your SCHUFA score is not used
French banks do not use credit scores, German or French, so your SCHUFA record plays no part. The bank forms its view from your documents: income, existing debts, savings and where the deposit comes from.
That puts the weight on a complete, recent and well-ordered file. A strong file that arrives in pieces moves more slowly than a modest one that arrives complete.
German documents French banks ask for
- Passport or identity card for each borrower, with a Meldebescheinigung or utility bill as proof of address
- Employed: last three Gehaltsabrechnungen and your employment contract
- Your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung for the last two years
- Your last two Einkommensteuerbescheide
- Self-employed: two to three years of accounts and tax returns
- Three to six months of statements for every current account
- Statements for any German mortgage or other loans
- Proof of where the deposit comes from, for anti-money-laundering checks
Documents in German may need a certified translation. The broker will tell you which ones the chosen bank requires.
How a French loan differs
- Fixed for the whole term. Most French loans carry a single fixed rate until the last payment, so there is no refinancing date to plan around.
- Capped early repayment charges. The law limits them to six months' interest on the amount repaid and 3% of the capital outstanding, and many offers waive them.
- Insurance in the all-in rate. The TAEG must stay under the legal cap, which is 5.40% for loans of 20 years or more this quarter.
- A charge on the property. The bank's guarantee is registered by the notaire at completion.
Next step
You can complete through a power of attorney if you cannot travel, and the loan condition in the compromis should give you at least 60 days. Start with the eligibility check and we will introduce you to one broker who places files from Germany.
Questions
Do French banks check my SCHUFA score?
No. French banks do not use credit scores. They assess your payslips, tax documents and bank statements.
Can German residents get a mortgage in France?
Yes. As EU residents earning in euros, German buyers are typically offered 70–80% financing on strong files, subject to the 35% debt-to-income ceiling.
Is a French mortgage rate fixed for the whole term?
Usually, yes. Most French loans are fixed until the last payment, so the repayment stays the same for the whole term.