Mortgages in Spain for non-residents, clearly explained.

No, and it is the most common mistake. In Spain, the share banks finance for non-residents (up to 75%), the own funds you need (around 30% plus 8–13% in taxes and costs), the documents, the NIE, the valuation, the FEIN and the cooling-off period before the notary are all different. Knowing what to do at each step avoids delays, rejections and unnecessary costs. That is why I guide you from day one.

Yes. Spanish banks lend to non-residents, usually up to 75% of the purchase price. Each bank assesses your income, your country of tax residence and your credit history differently, so choosing the right lender matters as much as the interest rate.

Plan on around 30% of the purchase price, plus 8–13% for taxes and buying costs (depending on the province): roughly 38–43% in total, from savings or from equity released on another property.

Employment income (salary, bonuses, commissions), self-employment income (salary, dividends), rental income, pensions and investment income. Child maintenance and social security benefits are not accepted as income.

Loan terms can usually run until the borrower is 75, and in some cases until 80.

Fixed, variable and mixed rates. Through Mortgage Direct I compare offers from more than 20 lenders to find the one that best fits your profile and your plans.

Foreign investors, retirees and expats, business owners and entrepreneurs, seasonal residents, digital nomads, cross-border workers and high-net-worth individuals buying in Spain, as well as developers looking for project finance.

Yes. Buying through a company can give access to a higher mortgage amount. If you are a business owner, I will ask for your last three tax returns and we will have a short video call before I price the options.

You will need a NIE (the Spanish identification number for foreigners). It also helps to have a lawyer, a power of attorney if you won’t be in Spain for every step, and a currency exchange partner if your income is in another currency. We review all of this together in the initial assessment.

No, you don’t need to be in Spain to get started. Our interview takes place by video call, and the whole process can be done remotely. You would only need to come to sign the transparency act at the notary and, the next day, the purchase deeds. Even that can be avoided by giving power of attorney to your lawyer or someone you trust.

1) You complete the Affordability Check online and accept the data-protection terms. 2) I study your profile and price the mortgage options: this preliminary study comes at no cost to you and with no obligation. 3) If you want to go ahead, you choose your preferred options and send the remaining documents. 4) I send your file with a detailed report to the selected banks, which usually answer in 7–14 days. 5) Once approved, the valuation is carried out and the bank issues the binding offer (FEIN). 6) After the legal cooling-off period, you sign at the notary.

Yes, and I recommend it. With your profile approved before you start searching, you know your real personal investment, negotiate with confidence and can move quickly when you find the right home.

It depends on the bank and on your documents. As a guide: about 20 days for the viability study, about a week from the valuation visit to the report, about 10 days for the final approval of the risk department, and then a legal cooling-off period of at least 11 days before signing at the notary.

It depends on your profile and your income. After the Affordability Check I send you a personalised list, so you only prepare what your case needs. Business owners also send their last three tax returns.

The FEIN is the bank’s binding mortgage offer. By law, completion takes place at least 10–11 days after the FEIN is signed (14 days in Catalonia). Before the deeds, you sign an "acta" at the notary confirming you understand the mortgage conditions; the deeds are signed at least 24 hours later.

Plan on around 8–13% of the purchase price for taxes and buying costs: purchase tax, notary, land registry and legal fees. The exact figure depends on the region and on whether the property is new or resale.

You receive the reasons. If your profile is not validated in the initial study, the money-back guarantee applies.

Yes. I am a certified mortgage advisor registered with the Banco de España (ICI/19/1196) and I work in collaboration with Mortgage Direct S.L.U., a mortgage credit intermediary registered with the Banco de España (D108, certification ACI/24/0056).

Since 2019 I have specialised in mortgages for non-residents in Spain: first at a well-known Spanish financial institution and, since 2024, with Mortgage Direct. Before that, I spent 17 years in banking as an economist and international and risk analyst, and taught macroeconomics at university. I am an economist with a master’s degree in Political Economy. My clients rate me 10/10.

Yes, it is my speciality. I work with buyers from all over the world and have particular experience with residents of the Baltic and Balkan countries. I advise in English and Spanish.

In South Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. I work with buyers all over Spain, in person or by video call.

Mortgage Direct complies with the GDPR and applies additional controls to protect client data. It follows the Banco de España regulations and has a complaints procedure available to clients. As a licensed intermediary, it can deal with the lenders on your behalf.