Non-resident mortgage on base salary alone: €530,000 for a software developer from India
“You have lived in Germany for five years. Why does your own bank reject the loan?” The software developer asked himself this very question. As a non-resident mortgage, this case needed the right bank from the start, not the first one approached.
Why did the base salary alone carry the financing for a software developer from India?
Because the whole income structure was presented: employment contracts, income history, bonus development, share-programme evidence, proof of equity, household budget and residence status. The couple's own bank had rejected, seeing uncertainty about long-term residence and counting variable pay only to a limited extent. The base salary alone already carried the financing, and the commitment followed after the review.
The unexpected rejection
He had come to Germany a few years earlier for an international technology group. His employment contract was permanent, his income well above average, and the probation period long since over.
Together with his wife he wanted to buy a terraced house in the Frankfurt area.
After years in a rented flat, the first home was finally to follow.
The financing seemed self-evident.
But reality looked different.
The couple held all their accounts at a large German bank.
The salary arrived there on time every month.
Savings were in place.
Even so, the loan application was rejected.
The reasoning surprised them both.
The bank saw uncertainties in the long-term residence and stay prospects.
It also wanted to take variable income components into account only to a limited extent.
For the couple this was barely comprehensible.
The starting situation
The software developer worked as a senior software engineer at an international technology company.
His wife was a data analyst at a German mid-sized firm.
Both had permanent employment contracts.
The key figures:
Purchase price: 648,000 euros; Equity: 168,000 euros; Financing required: 530,000 euros.
In addition, the husband received annual performance-related bonus payments as well as his employer's share programmes.
It was precisely these income components that later caused discussion.
Why international skilled workers are often underestimated
Many banks base the credit review on standardised income models.
Variable pay, international employment contracts or temporary residence permits often lead to additional follow-up questions.
It is often overlooked that international skilled workers are among the economically strongest employee groups today.
In the IT sector in particular there are often:
very stable employment relationships; high demand in the labour market; above-average incomes; long-term career prospects.
The individual assessment is therefore decisive.
The analysis
Before a renewed financing enquiry, the entire income structure was worked through.
It became clear:
The base salary alone was already enough to support the financing long-term.
The bonus payments had been paid regularly for several years.
In addition, the software developer received employee shares each year, which enabled considerable asset building.
The equity ratio was solid too.
Even under conservative assumptions, the household budget showed clear surpluses.
The solution: Instead of merely submitting payslips, the overall economic situation was presented.
The bank received:
employment contracts; income history; bonus development; evidence of the share programmes; proof of equity; a household budget; information on residence status.
This allowed the actual income to be assessed realistically.
After the review was completed, the financing commitment followed.
Why this case is typical
International skilled workers repeatedly experience similar situations with property financing.
It is not the income that is the problem.
But its assessment.
If bonus payments, share programmes or international career paths are not classified correctly, unnecessary rejections arise.
What other international skilled workers can learn from this: A high income alone is not always enough.
What is decisive is that banks understand the entire income structure.
The more completely documents and economic background are documented, the greater the financing prospects often are.
A software developer's base salary alone secured the loan: This case shows that international skilled workers have excellent financing prospects today.
The requirement, however, is that banks recognise the actual overall economic picture.
Anyone who documents their income structure fully and relies on financing partners with experience in the international environment can successfully acquire home ownership in Germany, even as a foreign employee.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreign nationals finance property in Germany?
Yes. Many banks finance international skilled workers, provided the economic conditions are met.
Are bonus payments taken into account?
That depends on the respective bank and the regularity of these payments.
Can employee shares help with the financing?
Depending on the bank, existing assets can be considered positively.
Is a permanent employment contract important?
In many cases it improves the financing options.
Do I already have to hold German citizenship?
No. What is decisive is creditworthiness, income, residence status 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
Related pages
Non-resident mortgage: employee shares counted as income, €700,000 for a house in the Taunus
A manager in Singapore had a salary that was enough, but the share programme was the open question. See how the bank counted the shares in the end.
Mortgage for international doctors: which German lenders will read your file?
The same country’s banks then apply a credit process that was designed for someone who has lived, worked and borrowed in Germany for twenty years.
Non-resident mortgage: Luxembourg income with variable bonus accepted, €555,000 committed within days
Their own bank had rejected the loan: the Luxembourg income fell outside its standard process. A binding commitment followed after a few days.
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.