Buying property in Germany while you live or earn abroad is possible — but only a small number of banks will do it. As a licensed mortgage advisor (§34i GewO), Olga Nikushkina compares 500+ banks to find the one that fits your situation. Free of charge, independent, English-speaking, nationwide.
Most applications don't fail on income. They fail on rules that aren't obvious until you're mid-process.
Purchase costs in Germany — property transfer tax, notary, land registry and, where applicable, agent fees — add roughly 10–15 % on top of the price. German banks almost never finance these costs. You need them as equity, on top of your down payment.
Living outside Germany, or earning in a non-euro currency (USD, GBP, CHF), narrows the field sharply. The EU Mortgage Credit Directive adds a conversion right for foreign-currency loans that many banks avoid. The right banks exist — they are just specific.
For non-EU residents, banks weigh the type and remaining term of your residence permit (Blue Card, settlement permit) and the equity ratio. Knowing which lender accepts which constellation saves weeks of dead ends.
General information, not tax or legal advice.
You live and work in Germany — on an EU Blue Card, a settlement permit or a fixed-term permit. Own home or buy-to-let. KfW subsidies apply to you too.
Learn more (DE) →You are a German citizen living in Switzerland, Austria, the USA, the UK, the UAE or Asia, and want to buy property in Germany — as an investment or for a later return. I know the banks.
Learn more (DE) →You live in Germany but work in Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg or the Netherlands — often paid in a foreign currency. I know the banks that accept this constellation.
Learn more (DE) →Olga Nikushkina is a registered mortgage credit advisor under §34i GewO (German register no. D-W-132-ZUCB-95). The advice, the comparison across 500+ banks and the financing request are completely free for you — the commission is paid by the bank, not by you. Over 200 financings for non-residents have been arranged since 2019. Service in German, English, Russian and Spanish.
To compare banks quickly, fill in the bilingual self-disclosure form (German/English, to print). It summarises personal data, tax status, income, expenses and available equity — the basis of every bank request.
📄 Download the self-disclosure (PDF, DE/EN)
Free and non-binding · not a loan application · not tax or legal advice · data is processed only to prepare your request (see privacy notice).
Tell me about your situation and I'll tell you honestly whether, and at what level, financing is realistic — before you start house-hunting.
Phone +49 2151 3293344 · [email protected]
Looking for the full detail? The complete website — products, KfW programmes, country pages, calculator and checklists — is available in German. Go to the German site →