Non-resident mortgage: still living in Austria, buying in Bavaria, €548,000 financed
“You want to live in Germany — but for now you still live in Austria.” It was precisely this sentence that made the financing stall. A non-resident mortgage works differently here: the bank looks at income, equity and where you live — residence decides which banks take the case.
What was the obstacle in financing a house in Bavaria while still living in Austria, and how was it solved?
The obstacle was neither income nor equity: the family still lived in Austria while planning to move to Bavaria, and the bank wanted to know when the residence would move and whether the income stays in Austria. We documented the planned move comprehensibly and explained employment, income development and equity in full. The commitment followed after the review.
The dream of a home
A family of four from Salzburg had decided to move their centre of life to Bavaria. The children were to attend school in Germany, and the father's workplace had been in Rosenheim for years.
Only the residence was still in Austria.
A house had been found.
The purchase contract was prepared.
And still the first bank hesitated.
For years the father commuted daily across the border.
The mother worked mostly from home for an Austrian company.
After a long search, the family found a modern detached house in the district of Rosenheim.
The key figures:
Purchase price: 698,000 euros; Equity: 210,000 euros; Financing required: 548,000 euros.
The financing was calculated conservatively.
The monthly instalment was well below their previous rent including utilities.
Everything, in fact, pointed to a commitment.
Why the bank hesitated
It was not the income that was the problem.
Nor the equity.
The bank wanted to know when the residence would actually be moved to Germany.
How long had the employment contract existed?
Does the income stay in Austria?
Will both become taxable in Germany in future?
Which address applies after the purchase?
For the family these questions were surprising.
From their point of view the decision had long been made.
For the bank, however, it had to be documented in a comprehensible way.
The economic situation
On close examination, an exceptionally stable starting position emerged.
The father had been in permanent employment for more than eight years.
The wife had a regular income.
In addition, there were:
no consumer loans; sufficient liquidity reserves; a solid equity base; a positive household budget.
The property was convincing too.
The house was in a well-kept residential area with sustainable value development.
The solution
The decisive step was not the search for a different property.
The decisive step was a better presentation of the overall situation.
The planned move was documented in a comprehensible way.
In addition, employment, income development and equity were fully explained.
This gave the bank the necessary planning certainty.
After the review was completed, the financing commitment followed.
The result: The purchase could be completed as planned.
A few months later the family moved into their new home.
The children switched to a school in Bavaria.
The daily commute shortened considerably.
For the family, the property purchase was at the same time the start of a new chapter in life.
What this case shows
Cross-border moves have long been part of everyday life.
Nevertheless, banks distinguish very precisely between a planned and an already completed change of residence.
The more clearly the future life situation is documented, the more easily a financing can often be assessed.
Residence in Austria does not rule out financing in Bavaria: This case shows that a residence abroad does not automatically speak against a property financing in Germany.
What is decisive is that banks can understand the overall personal and economic situation.
Anyone who prepares their planned move, their income situation and their financing in a structured way creates the best conditions for successfully buying a home in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Can families living in Austria finance a house in Germany?
Yes. Many banks handle such financings.
Does the residence already have to be in Germany?
Not necessarily. What matters is that the future situation is presented in a comprehensible way.
Can income from Austria be taken into account?
Yes. Depending on the bank, it is regularly included in the credit assessment.
Is equity required?
A solid equity ratio regularly improves the financing options.
How long does the review take?
That depends on the completeness of the documents and the requirements of the respective bank.
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.