Islay Robinson explains how UK residents can still secure mortgages for French property, what lenders expect from non-EU borrowers, and why preparing your finance strategy before searching for a property can make all the difference.

People often ask me whether Brexit has made it difficult for UK buyers to get a mortgage in France.

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is that it has made preparation much more important.

I still arrange French mortgages for UK residents every month, and there certainly isn't a shortage of lenders willing to finance British buyers. What has changed is how those buyers are assessed. Before Brexit, many UK applicants were treated much like other European borrowers. Today, they're generally viewed as non-EU applicants, and that changes the questions lenders ask long before anyone discusses interest rates.

That doesn't mean the door has closed.

It simply means you need to arrive better prepared.

One of the biggest surprises for many clients is how different the process feels compared with buying property in the UK. A British mortgage application often starts with affordability and works forwards. In France, lenders are just as interested in understanding the person behind the application. They want to know how your income is earned, how your wealth has been built and whether your financial affairs fit comfortably within their underwriting framework.

For borrowers with a straightforward salary, that conversation is usually fairly simple.

For entrepreneurs, company directors and investors, it rarely is.

Many of the people I work with earn relatively modest salaries compared with their overall wealth. Their income may come from dividends, bonuses, investment portfolios or several businesses operating across different countries. None of that is unusual in the high-net-worth market, but it does mean the choice of lender becomes incredibly important because not every French bank views those income streams in the same way.

I've seen one lender decline a case that another approved without hesitation.

The client hadn't changed.

The paperwork hadn't changed.

Only the lender had.

That's why I believe lender selection is one of the most underestimated parts of buying property in France. People naturally spend months choosing the right house but often give very little thought to choosing the right bank. In reality, the lender can have just as much influence on whether a purchase completes smoothly as the property itself.

Another difference British buyers often discover too late is the pace of the French buying process. Once the compromis de vente has been signed, there is a contractual timetable to work through. That means trying to organise financing after you've found the perfect property can quickly become stressful, particularly if documents need translating or additional information is requested during underwriting.

I've always believed the order should be the other way around.

Build the financing strategy first.

Understand which lenders suit your circumstances, how much you can comfortably borrow and what documentation will be needed. Then go looking for the property. Buyers who approach it this way not only negotiate with greater confidence but are usually in a much stronger position when the right opportunity appears.

The reality is that buying property in France as a UK resident hasn't become impossible since Brexit. It's simply become more specialist. The market is still there, the lenders are still there and finance is still available for well-prepared borrowers.

In my experience, the transactions that run most smoothly aren't necessarily those with the wealthiest clients.

They're the ones that started planning before they started viewing.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial, mortgage, tax, legal or investment advice. The views expressed are those of the author and are provided for educational purposes only.

Any references to lending criteria, affordability requirements, deposits, loan-to-value ratios or borrowing structures are illustrative only and vary according to individual circumstances, lender policies and applicable regulations. French property transactions are subject to local legal requirements, and borrowers should obtain independent legal and tax advice before proceeding.

Enness Global acts as a broker and not as a lender.

Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any debt secured against it.