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FREN
Investing from Germany
Investing in property
in France from Germany
Do you live in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt or Düsseldorf and want to invest in France? Salary in euros, social contributions reduced, no tax representative on resale, rents with no effect on your German tax: what changes when you live in Germany.
1,000+ expats and non-residents
supported since 2017
4.8 on Trustpilot
276 client reviews
What they say about us
The essentials
- A German resident can invest in France: French banks apply a 35% debt ratio, insurance included, and 25 years at most.
- Your rents are taxed in France at a minimum of 20% up to €29,579, then 30% (2025 income), plus 7.5% social contributions if you are affiliated to German social security and not dependent on any French scheme.
- Germany exempts these rents if you hold the property directly.
Your profile
What is your situation ?
German tax resident, employee, civil servant or self-employed, whatever your nationality.
See how to finance your purchase →- Your financingYour income is in euros : no exchange-rate risk for the bank, an asset for your application.
- Your taxesYour rents and your capital gain are taxed in France. Germany exempts them and, for a property located in the European Union, your rents are not even used to set the rate of your German tax.
- Your social contributionsAffiliated to the German social security system, you pay 7,5 % social contributions in France.
You live in France and work in Germany: you are a French tax resident, taxed in France like a resident on your rents. Affiliated to the German social security system, you pay 7.5% social contributions, as long as your remote working in France stays below 25% of your working time (below 50% with the European framework agreement on remote working).
See which rules apply →You become a non-resident in the year you leave. If you sell your former main home before the end of the following year, the capital gain may be exempt.
See how to finance your purchase →- Your financingYour income is in euros : no exchange-rate risk for the bank, an asset for your application.
- Your taxesYour rents and your capital gain are taxed in France. Germany exempts them and, for a property located in the European Union, your rents are not even used to set the rate of your German tax.
- Your social contributionsAffiliated to the German social security system, you pay 7,5 % social contributions in France.
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK TODAY
Investing from Germany, a real challenge
Even with the desire and the means, investing in France from Germany has its pitfalls: here are the four our members have had to overcome.
Our deals inThionvilleLatest yield 12% grossProject from AmineProperty 3-bedroom house share for cross-border workersOur deals inMontigny-lès-MetzLatest yield 9.7% grossProject from CamilleProperty Studio converted into a furnished T1 bisYou live inBerlinSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inHamburgSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inMunichSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inFrankfurtSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inCologneSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inStuttgartSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inDüsseldorfSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inLeipzigSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inNurembergSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inHanoverSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inBremenSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inDresdenSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inDortmundSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inBonnSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inMannheimSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inKarlsruheSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inFreiburgSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inKielSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inRostockSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inMünsterSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inSaarbrückenSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inErfurtSocial contributions 7,5 %You live inAugsburgSocial contributions 7,5 %
Where they bought in France, near the borderBig cities
FINANCING
Persuading a French bank
Your income is in euros: no exchange-rate risk for the bank, an asset for your application.
See the financing →TAXES
France, Germany, or both?
Your rents and your capital gain are taxed in France. Germany exempts them and, for a property located in the European Union, your rents are not even used to set the rate of your German tax.
See the tax treatment →SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Which social contributions apply to you?
Affiliated to the German social security system, you pay 7.5% social contributions in France.
See the tax treatment →DISTANCE
Buying without being on site
Viewings, renovation works, management: our members buy remotely, with a network on the ground to follow the works and the letting.
See where to invest →1,000+ expats and non-residents in more than 70 countries have already benefited from our method
Your project, our mission
ImmoPourExpat supports you
at every stage of your project from Germany
Frédéric MoreauFounder, non-resident for over 12 years
About us
The property expert
created by an expat, for expats
A former corporate lawyer in Luxembourg and then Hong Kong, Frédéric Moreau found no method designed for non-residents when he wanted to invest in France. He created his own, tested it on his own properties, then founded ImmoPourExpat to support expats from A to Z, wherever they live in the world.
+550partners: banks, notaries, lawyers, tradespeople
+130 M€of projects supported with our clients
- 2016A corporate lawyer in Hong Kong, he decides to invest in property to build up his wealth.
- 2017First purchase in Nantes from abroad: a property turned into a 4-bedroom house share.
- 2020 à 2024He replicates his model (splits, creation of units) and ImmoPourExpat is born.
- 2025He lives off his property income and passes on his method to expats around the world.
Your project, our mission
Property support tailor-made
for expats: our 4 areas of expertise
It all starts with a free strategy meeting. Then, from finding the property to taxation, including financing and renovation works, we support you at your own pace.
Property financing
Structuring your bank application, introductions to our partners specialising in non-residents, and a list of banks to approach.
Property financing for expats →
Remote renovation
Controlled quotes, vetted tradespeople and site monitoring by a local contact: your renovation works move forward without you having to catch a plane.
Remote renovation for expats →
Optimised taxation
Optimise the taxation of your investment with our personalised advice: legal structuring, tax regime, wealth solutions.
Taxation for expat investors →Why trust us?
Our members are the ones who speak about it best
Expats and non-residents, they have invested in France: their projects on video and their reviews, unfiltered.
+1 000expats supported
+70countries of residence
10 %average down payment
8 %average yield
Their video testimonials
See all the video testimonials →Trustpilot
Brice DBJapan, 30 October 2026Read the review →Trustpilot
Bruno beaubernardNetherlands, 15 October 2026Read the review →Trustpilot
Cyrielle NisLuxembourg, 30 September 2026Read the review →
Good support
Bon accompagnement, toujours positive, donne la motivation daller plus loin et toujours des réponses cohérentes ! :)
CConsumerGermany, 17 July 2026Read the review →TrustpilotVery satisfied with my experience with IPE
Very satisfied with my experience with IPE (Immo Pour Expat). Communication is excellent, exchanges are smooth and I really feel supported throughout the project. J’ai surtout le sentiment que nous travaillons en équipe, avec une bonne compréhension des objectifs et une vraie volonté d’avancer ensemble. C’est très appréciable de pouvoir compter sur une équipe disponible, à l’écoute et impliquée. Je recommande vivement IPE !
Brice DBJapan, 30 October 2026Read the review →TrustpilotQuality support to succeed in your buy-to-let investment
I am very satisfied with the support from the whole IPE team. The advice offered through the videos and workshops is clear, practical and very useful for moving my project forward. J’apprécie particulièrement la qualité des contenus et la pertinence des échanges en atelier. Un accompagnement sérieux et enrichissant que je recommande vivement !
Bruno beaubernardNetherlands, 15 October 2026Read the review →TrustpilotDynamic and responsive team
Dynamic and responsive team. Sound, precise advice, adapted to personal situations Différentes stratégies proposées pour s’adapter aux évolutions du marché Je recommande !
Cyrielle NisLuxembourg, 30 September 2026Read the review →
Lives in Dubai
Lives in the United Kingdom
Lives in Spain
Lives in the Netherlands
Lives in Belgium
Lives in Luxembourg
Lives in Singapore
▶See the testimonial
Lives in the United StatesGaillac
Building with 4 units and 3 garages in the very centre
See their project →
▶See the testimonial
Lives in Thailand
▶See the testimonial
▶See the testimonial
Lives in SwitzerlandSaint-Étienne
Two properties, including a 3-bedroom house share
See their project →
▶See the testimonial
Lives in Denmark
▶See the testimonial
▶See the testimonial
▶See the testimonial
Lives in CanadaNantes
32 m² studio in the very centre, without a permanent contract
See their project →
▶See the testimonial
▶See the testimonialWhere to invest
Where invest when you live in Germany?
From Germany, you can buy near the border, in Alsace or Moselle, so you can view the property and follow the works by car, or further away for yield, relying on a local network for viewings and the building work.
ThionvilleThe project of Amine, who lives in Dubai
Montigny-lès-MetzThe project of Camille, who lives in SwitzerlandNear LuxembourgThe project of Sophie, who lives in Luxembourg
ReimsThe project of Anne-Claire, who lives in Dubai
Near LyonThe project of Lois, who lives in the Netherlands
NantesThe project of Yanis, who lives in Denmark
MontpellierThe project of Corentin, who lives in Canada
ToulouseThe project of Sébastien, who lives in SingaporeOur investment calculators
How much can you invest ?
Instantly estimate your borrowing capacity from abroad, or the tax you will pay on your rents depending on your country.
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The calculation is done in your browser: no data is sent. See all our calculators (taxes, capital gains…) →
To invest with peace of mind
What you need to know when investing from Germany
The advantages for you of investing in France from Germany
Your advantages
The advantages for you of investing in France from Germany
What a purchase in France brings you when you live in Germany, and what you must meet to benefit from it.
A salary in euros
- No exchange-rate risk for the bank: it is an asset for your application.
- Condition: You need to have stable income in Germany.
A fixed rate for the whole term of the loan
- In France, mortgages are almost all fixed-rate over 20 or 25 years.
- In Germany, the rate is fixed for a period chosen in the contract, on average a little over 10 years in 2025 and 2026 according to the broker Dr.
- Klein: in France, your monthly payment does not change until the end.
- Condition: You must borrow from a French bank.
7.5% social contributions
- Instead of 17.2% or 18.6% for a non-resident from a country outside Europe.
- Condition: You must be affiliated to the German social security system, and not dependent on any French scheme.
No German tax on your rents
- Germany exempts your French rents and, as the property is in the European Union, does not even use them to set the rate of your German tax.
- Condition: You must hold the property directly: with a SCI, the German treatment needs to be checked.
How to finance a purchase in France from Germany?
French banks apply the HCSF standard to German residents: a 35% debt ratio, insurance included, and a maximum term of 25 years. Your income in euros spares them the exchange-rate risk, but not all of them accept non-residents, and some ask for a high down payment. The choice of banks and the presentation of the application make the difference.
How much can you borrow? Your income in euros is counted at 100%: leave the share counted at 100%.
Also read: which banks lend to expats and how much down payment to plan for.
Where do you pay your taxes: in France or in Germany?
| In France | In Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Rents | Taxed in France: progressive scale with at least 20% up to €29,579, then 30% (2025 income), plus 7.5% social contributions if you are affiliated in Germany. | Exempt (Articles 3 and 20 of the treaty). For a property located in the European Union, they are also not used to set the rate of your German tax (§ 32b EStG). |
| Capital gain on resale | Taxed in France: 19% plus 7.5% social contributions, with allowances from the 6th year; no tax representative. | Exempt (Articles 7 and 20). If resold less than 10 years after purchase, it may count towards setting the rate of your German tax. |
| Wealth | IFI if your net French property wealth exceeds €1.3 million. | No wealth tax: it has not been levied since 1997. |
| Inheritance | 2006 treaty: France taxes your French real estate. | Also taxed if the deceased or the heir lives in Germany, with a deduction for the duties paid in France, up to the limit of German tax on that property. |
If you buy through a SCI, the resale of the shares falls under another article of the treaty (Article 7 § 4): Germany may then tax it, deducting the French tax. Above €50,000 of taxable capital gain, a surcharge of 2% to 6% is added in France. The €150,000 exemption on the capital gain (French or EU national, resident in France for at least two years) and the exemption for the former main home sold no later than 31 December of the year following departure remain available, subject to conditions.
France Germany tax treatyRents, capital gain, IFI and inheritance, article by article, with worked examples.Read the treaty →Taxation of the expat investorMinimum rate, social contributions, LMNP, SCI, capital gain: the French rules for non-residents.See the Taxation page →
Also read: how the rents of a non-resident are taxed.
Unfurnished, furnished or SCI?
| Unfurnished rental | Furnished rental (LMNP) | SCI subject to income tax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax on rents | Micro-foncier (30% allowance) or actual regime, expenses and interest deducted | Micro-BIC (50%) or actual regime, with depreciation of the property, which often cuts tax sharply | Like unfurnished rental, at the level of each partner |
| On resale | Capital gain of individuals, allowances for length of ownership | Same, but the depreciation deducted is added back | Capital gain of individuals, without the €150,000 exemption |
| Who it suits | Simple long-term rental | The most common choice of our members | Buying with others, passing on wealth |
Careful, in Germany: with a SCI, the resale of the shares is no longer exempt like that of a property held directly. Germany may tax it, deducting the French tax: to be reviewed with a tax adviser before buying through a company.
The right choice depends on your project and your country: compare with the rental income tax calculator.
Worked example: how much tax on your rents?
A furnished studio let at €1,000 a month by a person who lives in Munich, affiliated to the German social security system (furnished rental under micro-BIC, 2025 income).
- Rents receivedper year12 000 €
- Micro-BIC allowanceflat-rate expenses− 50 %
- Taxable incomein France6 000 €
- Tax (20% minimum rate)1 200 €
- Social contributions (7.5%)450 €
Total paid in France€1,650 per yeari.e. €138 a month, 13.8% of rents
You keep €10,350Tax €1,200Social contributions €450
In Germany: €0. As the property is in the European Union, your rents are not even used to set the rate of your German tax.
Without affiliation to a European, Swiss or British social security system, social contributions would rise to €1,116, i.e. €2,316 in total.
Run the numbers for your property. Choose “affiliated to the social security of an EU country” and “European Union” in the calculators.
What must you declare in Germany?
Your French rents, if you hold the property directly, are exempt in Germany. German law also leaves them out of the calculation of your tax rate, because the property is located in the European Union (§ 32b of the Income Tax Act, EStG). An employee must in particular file a return if their income not subject to wage withholding, or income that counts for the rate, exceeds €410 a year (§ 46 EStG): your French rents alone should therefore not trigger this obligation. Other cases under § 46 may require you to file. If you file a return, ask a tax adviser (Steuerberater) whether they need to be mentioned in the foreign income annex (Anlage AUS).
Reselling less than 10 years after purchase
In Germany, the capital gain on private real estate is taxable only if it is resold less than 10 years after purchase (§ 23 EStG). For your property in France, the treaty reserves this tax for France: Germany does not tax it. But within that 10-year period, it may take it into account to set the rate of tax on your other income, and require you to file a return. After 10 years, resale has no effect in Germany. Take stock with a Steuerberater before selling.
How ImmoPourExpat supports you from Germany
A step-by-step method
The online training, from financing to letting, designed for non-residents.
Workshops every week
Your questions put live to the team, throughout the support programme.
A network on the ground
Banks, tradespeople, agents and managers used to working with remote investors.
The steps of the ImmoPourExpat method, from the first call to letting →
Rules checked on 3 November 2026 (1959 France-Germany tax treaty and amendments (impots.gouv.fr), 2006 inheritance convention, BOFiP BOI-RFPI-PVINR-10-20 and BOI-INT-CVB-DEU, service-public.gouv.fr F2329, CLEISS, gesetze-im-internet.de (EStG § 23, § 32b, § 46; ErbStG)). The financing terms quoted are those of our members’ files, at their date. This page gives information on the general rules: it does not replace tax advice or a loan offer.
Official texts: impots.gouv.fr: income tax for non-residents · impots.gouv.fr: non-residents’ property capital gains · DGFiP: the specific features of non-resident taxation (fact sheet, March 2026) · BOFiP: BOI-RFPI-PVINR-20-20, capital gains of non-residents.
A conversation to move your project forward
Launch your investment from Germany
A 45-minute conversation to answer your questions, assess your situation, and see how we can support you.
No commitment
100% personalised
What you need to know
Frequently asked questions
Can a German resident get a mortgage in France?
Yes. French banks finance German residents, with the 35% debt-ratio standard and a maximum of 25 years. Your income in euros is an asset, but not all banks accept non-residents.
I am a cross-border worker: does this apply to me?
No, if you live in France and work in Germany: you are a French tax resident and taxed as such on your rents. This page is aimed at people who live in Germany.
Are my French rents taxed twice?
No, if you hold the property directly. They are taxed in France; Germany exempts them and, as the property is in the European Union, does not use them to calculate the rate of your German tax.
How much do German residents pay in social contributions?
7.5% (the solidarity levy) if you are affiliated to a compulsory German social security scheme and not dependent on any French scheme. Otherwise, 17.2% on an unfurnished rental and 18.6% on a furnished rental. If you are self-employed or a civil servant covered by private health insurance: have this point checked.
Do I have to declare my French rents in Germany?
They are not taxed in Germany and do not count towards the rate. On their own, they should not oblige you to file a German return. If you do file one, have a tax adviser check whether they need to be mentioned.
What happens if I resell less than 10 years after purchase?
The capital gain is taxed in France. Germany does not tax it, but it may use it to set the rate of tax on your other income in the year of sale. After 10 years, resale has no effect in Germany.
Do I need a tax representative to resell?
No. As Germany is in the European Union, the sale does not require a tax representative.
What happens to my French property in my estate?
The 2006 France-Germany treaty lets France tax your property. If you or your heirs live in Germany, Germany taxes it too, but deducts the duties paid in France from its own tax, up to the limit of German tax on that property.
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To go further on taxation: Income tax for a non-resident, The tax representative, Social contributions for a non-resident, IFI for a non-resident.
The information on this page is general and does not replace tax, legal or financial advice suited to your situation.
Investing from abroad has never been so simple
ImmoPourExpat supports expats and non-residents from A to Z who want to invest in property in France: financing, property search, renovation works, taxation and remote management.
TrustpilotTrustScore 4,8 | 276 reviews+1 000 expats and non-residents supported
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