Mortgages for expats in Berlin Some dreams have an address.

“Can I even get a mortgage here?” Many people who moved to Berlin from abroad start with this question. The honest answer: in many cases, yes, but not with every bank. Mortgages for expats are a normal part of my work.

I have been arranging property finance since 2009, and many of my clients came to Berlin from other countries. As an independent credit intermediary, I compare offers from more than 500 banks and insurers (list in German) and look for the ones that fit your situation.

Why an English-speaking mortgage adviser helps expats

A German mortgage (Baufinanzierung) is full of terms that are hard to translate. If you only half understand it, you can’t judge an offer. I explain every point in English.

Just as important is the choice of bank. A no from the bank that holds your current account says nothing about the others, because banks have very different rules for residence permits, foreign income and short employment in Germany. I send your application to banks likely to accept your case. One limit: bank contracts and forms are usually in German. I explain them, but for legal questions about the purchase contract, ask the notary or a lawyer.

How a mortgage for expats works, step by step

In Germany, the order of the steps matters:

1. Budget. We work out what you can afford. No documents needed yet.
2. Financing confirmation (Finanzierungsbestätigung). A usually non-binding statement that a certain price appears financeable. Sellers in Berlin often ask for it.
3. Offer on the property (Kaufpreisangebot). It shows you are serious but is not legally binding.
4. Loan application (Darlehensantrag). The bank checks your documents and values the property. Approval often takes two to four weeks; you can withdraw from the loan agreement within 14 days.
5. Notary appointment (Notartermin). You sign the purchase contract and usually the land charge (Grundschuld) for the bank. Now the purchase is binding.
6. Land register (Grundbuch). A priority notice (Auflassungsvormerkung) protects your claim. You pay the land transfer tax and become the owner once registered, which can take months.
7. Payout (Auszahlung). Once the price is due, you pay your equity, then the bank pays the seller.

The most expensive mistake is to swap steps 4 and 5. Whoever signs at the notary and then doesn’t find a bank still owes the purchase price.

Residence permit: which expats get a mortgage?

Banks ask one question: will you still live and earn in Germany in a few years? Every bank decides for itself. As a rough orientation:

With a Blue Card, the route to a settlement permit can be short. According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), it is possible after 27 months, or after 21 months with German at level B1, if the other conditions are met. I am not an immigration lawyer: questions about your status belong with the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) or a lawyer. I can tell you how banks treat your title today.

No German credit history (Schufa) yet

Every German bank checks your record at the Schufa, the country’s main private credit bureau, before it approves a loan. If you are new here, your record is often thin. That is not a negative entry, but the bank sees less, and a history from your home country rarely replaces it. To build a clean record:

• Open a German current account early and run your salary, rent and contracts through it.
• Pay every bill on time and avoid new consumer loans before you apply.
• Request your free data copy (Datenkopie) from the Schufa and have outdated entries corrected.

Comparing offers with me does not hurt your score: I request conditions as an “Anfrage Kreditkonditionen”.

Probation period and a new job

Many expats came to Berlin for a new job, so the contract is often young. The probation period (Probezeit) is a hurdle for many banks: your employer can terminate at short notice, so your income counts as uncertain. Many banks wait until it is over, some lend earlier. A permanent contract after probation is the easiest starting point. Fixed-term contracts make it harder; a second secure income in the household helps, and some banks also take years in the same profession before your move into account.

If you plan to change jobs, mind the order: a new job shortly before the application puts you back into probation. Once the loan is paid out, a new job doesn’t change the running contract. Whatever you state in the application must be true.

Income from abroad and buyers living abroad

If you are paid in a foreign currency or by an employer abroad, fewer banks are available. Those that accept such income often count it with a safety margin, because exchange rates move and the income is harder to check. Expect more questions and possibly translations.

The same applies if you don’t live in Germany yet, or no longer do. Some banks finance a Berlin property from abroad, usually with more equity and a smaller loan. You can start before you arrive: we talk by video, you upload your documents securely online, and I can accompany the financing completely remotely. For tax questions about income in two countries, please speak to a tax adviser.

How much deposit expats need in Berlin

On top of the price come the purchase costs (Kaufnebenkosten). In Berlin, the land transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) is 6%. Add about 2% for the notary (Notar) and the land register, and usually 3.57% for the estate agent (Makler). Most banks want these costs paid from your own savings.

Ideal is 20 to 30% of the price on top of the purchase costs. Less is possible, but without permanent residence, fewer banks go along. Try your own figures in my mortgage calculator (in German); prices by district are in my article on property prices in Berlin (in German).

The notary and the contract in German

In Germany, a property purchase must be notarised. The notary is neutral, drafts the contract and reads it out. The fees are set by law.

For international buyers, the contract is usually drawn up in two languages, side by side in two columns: German and English. If the two versions ever differ, the German text prevails. Many notaries in Berlin offer bilingual contracts as a matter of course. If you don’t understand German well enough, the law also requires the contract to be translated for you at the appointment (§ 16 Beurkundungsgesetz, in German), by the notary or an interpreter.

Ask for a bilingual draft early and read it before the appointment. I check that the payment date fits your payout.

Fixed-rate period and interest rates

Most German mortgages have a fixed rate for a set period (Zinsbindung), often 10 or 15 years. Afterwards, you refinance the remaining debt at the rate of the day. As of November 2026, good conditions for 10 years are around 3.9 to 4.3% effective interest (current rates in German); in July 2026, top rates were still around 3.5%. 15 years usually cost about 0.3 percentage points more. The European Central Bank raised its rates in June and September 2026; its next meeting is on 17 December.

In the example above, about €241,500 would still be outstanding after 10 years at the assumed 4.0%, and about €188,800 after 15. Also important: a right to special repayments (Sondertilgung), often 5% of the loan per year, and the option to change your repayment rate.

The documents you need

Prepare these as clear PDFs before you start viewing. Offers often stand for only a few days.

• passport or ID card, and for non-EU citizens your residence title
• employment contract, especially if your job is new
• the last three payslips and the December payslip of the previous year
• bank statements and proof of your equity
• tax assessments (Steuerbescheide) if available, for the self-employed of the last two to three years
• contracts of running loans and a self-disclosure form (Selbstauskunft)
• for the property: exposé, floor plans, energy certificate, land register extract

Which translations a bank needs differs; I tell you before you pay for any.

Frequently asked questions about mortgages for expats

My advice for expats

Start before you look at properties. Know your residence status, build a clean Schufa record, save at least the purchase costs plus a reserve, and get a financing confirmation before you make an offer.

And don’t stop at your own bank. For expats, the difference between banks is often not a few tenths of a percent, but yes or no. I compare offers from more than 500 banks and insurers and know which ones are open to your situation. I advise you in English, in my office in Berlin, by video or by phone.