20%, 30%, sometimes 40%: that is the down payment asked of non-residents, and it is the real sticking point. Actual amounts by profile and by country, often-forgotten costs, and above all practical strategies to reduce it down to resident conditions (0 to 8%), with real cases from more than 1,000 files.
The down payment is the real sticking point. It is neither your salary nor your country of residence that first decides whether you can invest: it is the sum you are asked to put on the table. And there, most expats hear the same refrain: “20%, 30%, even 40%”. After more than 1,000 expat files supported in more than 60 countries, we know that this figure is not inevitable.
This guide gives you the real amounts to plan for according to your profile and country, the fees that are always forgotten, and above all the practical strategies to bring down the required down payment. I share here my field perspective: I founded ImmoPourExpat and I myself built more than €3M of loans from abroad, with very little down payment.
A bank takes a conservative approach: it wants to take as little risk as possible. A non-resident ticks several “risk” boxes in its eyes: no address in France, income received abroad (and sometimes in foreign currency), harder recourse in case of non-payment, a remote relationship. To offset this perceived risk, it asks for… more down payment. That is its safety margin. But this risk is not fixed: it can be worked on, with a file to back it up.
“I started from zero. In five years, I built up a property portfolio worth several million euros. So yes, it is possible: you still have to start by believing in it, then acquire the method.” Frédéric Moreau, founder of ImmoPourExpat
Beyond the amount, the down payment sends a message: that of your financial discipline. A down payment built from regular, visible, documented savings reassures infinitely more than a last-minute transfer. That is why a well-prepared file often allows you to negotiate a lower down payment: the bank does not only look at “how much you put in”, but at “who you are” financially.
Stop looking at the interest rate of your first property. The real first thing is the down payment: it determines whether you can invest or not. If the bank asks you for €40,000 and you only have €20,000, you do not invest. The down payment is your purchasing power.
“Stop looking at the interest rate of your first property. The real first thing is the down payment: it determines whether you can invest or not. If the bank asks you for €40,000 and you only have €20,000, you do not invest. The down payment is your purchasing power.” Frédéric Moreau, founder of ImmoPourExpat
The down payment required “alone” varies enormously with your profile and your country. Here are the ranges seen with banks, and what the IPE method makes it possible to reach in parallel.
Indicative ranges from 2026 public conditions; they vary by bank, country and file. The “IPE method” column reflects the down payment actually observed on our supported files thanks to the banking network.
These “alone” figures are not a sentence. The evidence speaks for itself:
In other words: property is not reserved for those with large capital. Thanks to leverage, it is precisely the most powerful tool for those starting with little, provided they have the method.
“Expat in the UK and self-employed: she invests in France with only 8% down payment”
Classic mistake: planning only “20%” and forgetting notary fees, which come on top of the down payment. Allow roughly 2.5% of the price for new-build and 7 to 8% for existing property. On a €200,000 existing property, that is already ~€15,000 to plan for on top of the down payment.
The bank rarely finances notary fees: it wants you to cover them yourself, on top of the down payment, and for you to keep some remaining savings after the purchase. It is this safety cushion of savings that it examines closely: emptying it entirely to close the deal is a negative signal. When the IPE method brings the down payment down “to notary fees alone”, this is precisely the floor that remains.
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This is the first lever: some banks require 30% where others accept 20%, or even less. The type of bank matters as much as the bank itself.
“Centralised banks are human to almost robot: too many processes, too many internal directives, and often a poor down payment at the end. Local-delegation banks are human to human, and that is where, with the right method, you secure a low down payment. Online banks are of no use to an expat.” Frédéric Moreau
To know precisely where to knock, see our comparison of the banks that lend to expats.
The bank does not lend to a PDF, it lends to a profile. Regular, documented monthly savings (a dated transfer labelled “monthly savings” to a dedicated account), sound account management, no overdrafts: all of this lets you negotiate a lower down payment. A professional file, with a summary sheet of your situation, a costed simulation of the project, and a presentation of the property and its profitability, radically changes the discussion.
Rather than a large cash down payment, you can sometimes reassure the bank another way: a surety, a mortgage security on another property, or a well-negotiated deferral. The deferral (repaying only the interest in the first year) is an underrated weapon.
“Always negotiate a deferral. Twelve months of deferral, and you repay your down payment largely, sometimes entirely. On a current deal of €650,000 with €250,000 of renovation works, I put in only 8% down payment, with a 24-month deferral, and I have been a non-resident for fifteen years.” Frédéric Moreau
Reducing the down payment is not “taking a broker” by default: it is applying a method and activating a network of banks used to non-residents. This is exactly what our non-resident financing support programme makes possible: our members secure resident terms without being exceptional profiles. I myself borrowed more than a million euros with an average 4.58% down payment on my first €1.5M.
To visualise the gap between “alone facing the bank” and the IPE method (existing-property notary fees estimated at ~7.5%):
Indicative calculations (existing-property notary fees ~7.5%). The last column is the savings you should KEEP after paying the down payment and fees: the bank wants to see that you are not left dry after the purchase (allow the equivalent of 3 to 6 monthly payments). The gap between the “30%” column and the “IPE method” column is exactly what the banking strategy lets you keep in your pocket, to chain projects together rather than tie up tens of thousands of euros in a single one.
The bank wants to know where your down payment comes from: savings built up over time (with statements to back it), a family gift (with a deed), the sale of an asset. A down payment that “falls from the sky” just before the purchase raises concern. Plan ahead: document your savings months in advance, keep the supporting documents, and prepare a clear explanation of each sum.
If your savings are in foreign currency (dollar, dirham, Swiss franc, pound…), an exchange-rate move can change the real value of your down payment at the time of transfer to France. Plan the conversion, watch the timing of your transfers, and keep a safety margin. This is a parameter that residents do not have to build into your plan early on.
Alone facing the bank, expect 20 to 30% of the price (plus notary fees), more for countries outside the EU or without a tax treaty. With suitable support and banking network, the down payment drops to a resident’s level: 0 to 8%, often reduced to notary fees alone.
110% financing (zero down payment) remains rare for a non-resident on their own. However, a very low down payment, notary fees only, sometimes less, is achievable with a solid file and the right banking partner, as our supported files show (down to 72 cents of down payment for some members).
Yes. Banks rarely finance notary fees: plan for them on top of the down payment (~2.5% for new-build, 7-8% for existing property), and keep safety savings after the purchase.
No. What matters is the file and the banking strategy, not the amount of the salary. Members earning about €3,000 a month, with less than €25,000 in savings, obtained financing with a very low down payment.
Target the right bank (local delegation), present a professional file, document your savings, provide alternative guarantees, negotiate a deferral, and rely on a method and a network specialised in non-residents.
Not necessarily, but if it is in a foreign currency, plan for exchange-rate risk and the timing of the conversion to France. The bank will also apply a discount to income received in a volatile currency.
Ready to quantify the down payment for your project?Our experts have put together more than 1,000 expat files and negotiated resident terms, even with a low down payment. Let’s book a meeting for a clear, personalised plan. Book a meeting with an expert
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The information on this page is general and does not replace tax, legal or financial advice suited to your situation.
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