Non-resident mortgage: Tax-free income from Dubai accepted, €760,000 for a house south of Munich
“We were told our income was the problem. Yet we earn more than enough.” When the family got in touch, two rejections were already on the table. A non-resident mortgage works differently here: the bank looks at income, equity and where you live — residence decides which banks take the case.
How was tax-free income from Dubai accepted for the house south of Munich?
Two banks rejected the case because the Dubai income was tax-free and the origin of the equity was not visible, not because of creditworthiness. We documented salary development, contracts, bonuses, bank statements, savings and asset transfers in full and approached a lender that regularly handles international returnees. The commitment came a few days after the pre-check.
The dream house had already been found
Not because of poor creditworthiness.
Not because of a lack of equity.
And not because of the property either.
The real reason was a different one.
The family's income was tax-free.
The father had worked for eight years as regional director of an international logistics company in Dubai. His wife headed the finance department of a large hotel group. Together they had an exceptionally high income and had built up a seven-figure sum of assets over the past years.
Once the children started school, it was settled:
The family wanted to return to Germany for good.
After several visits to Germany, the family decided on a free-standing detached house south of Munich.
Not as an investment.
Not as a holiday home.
But as a future home.
The key figures:
Purchase price: 1,120,000 euros; Equity: 430,000 euros; Financing required: 760,000 euros.
The monthly burden was easily affordable.
Even so, neither of the first two banks wanted to finance it.
The real problem was not the income
Many people believe a high income alone automatically secures a financing commitment.
International financings, however, work differently.
Among other things, the banks wanted to know:
How lasting is the income in Dubai? Does the employment continue after the move? Where does the equity come from? How were larger assets built up? When does the return to Germany take place?
The origin of the equity in particular played a much bigger role than the family had expected.
Why the documentation was decisive
Dubai has different tax and legal frameworks than Germany.
As a result, classic payslips are often not enough.
Together, all assets were documented in a comprehensible way.
Among them:
salary development over the past years; employment contracts; bonus payments; bank statements; proof of savings; evidence of asset transfers; equity development.
Only through this did a complete picture emerge.
The decisive turning point
Instead of submitting the financing to a standard bank again, a lender was deliberately selected that regularly handles international returnees.
The bank received all the relevant information with the very first enquiry.
Many follow-up questions were thereby eliminated entirely.
The financing commitment was in place just a few days after the pre-check was completed.
A relaxed notary appointment
Four weeks later the family signed the purchase contract.
Today the two children live just a few minutes from their school.
The father still works for his previous employer — now mostly from Germany.
His wife moved to a German company a few months later.
What this case shows: Tax-free income from Dubai has long ceased to be an exceptional case.
Nevertheless, banks' requirements differ considerably.
While some institutions can only assess international income structures to a limited extent, others have many years of experience with returnees from the United Arab Emirates.
It is not the income that decides.
It is the quality of the preparation.
Tax-free Dubai income alone did not secure the financing: This case shows that a high income alone does not guarantee a financing commitment.
International returnees in particular benefit when their economic situation is presented completely and comprehensibly.
Anyone who prepares income, assets and return planning professionally creates the best conditions for successfully buying a home in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Can families living in Dubai finance a home in Germany?
Yes. Numerous banks handle such financings.
Is tax-free income a disadvantage?
Not fundamentally. What matters is comprehensible documentation of the income and asset development.
Why is the origin of the equity queried?
Banks are obliged to document larger assets in a comprehensible way.
Does the move already have to have happened?
No. Many financings are implemented before the return to Germany.
Can owner-occupied detached houses be financed?
Yes. Returnees in particular often first acquire an owner-occupied home.
A similar situation? Let’s talk.
Every case with an overseas link is its own. In a free initial call we will tell you honestly what is feasible and which bank fits.
Anonymised individual case, not a guaranteeable statement for other projects · advice free · commission, as a rule, paid by the bank · §34i GewO · not legal or tax advice · no financing commitment; conditions depend on creditworthiness, lending value and bank
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Editorially responsible: Olga Nikushkina — owner, §34i GewO (German mortgage brokerage), adviser register D-W-132-ZUCB-95. Specialised in German property financing with an international dimension: non-residents, foreign-currency income, cross-border workers, expats. Siegfried Perini is entered in the German intermediary register under this licence as a person directly involved in brokerage and advice (§ 11a GewO), active in real estate since 1992. Not legal or tax advice.