Banks in Germany only lend money for house purchases abroad if you have a property in Germany as collateral. The recommendation is to find a local bank anyway, since the conditions are often better at the place of purchase or construction. So we contacted banks in France.

Local banks in France

We thought the local bank branches on site would be the optimal contact. They know the region and the construction companies and can best evaluate our building project. Not a good idea. No local bank branch could help us because we were not residents in France.

Borrowing money in France when residing abroad

Most banks have a separate department for people who are not residents of France. The bank staff at the local branches didn't seem to know that. The best way to get a loan in France with residence abroad is to request a consultation appointment through the website of the credit institution or contact the headquarters of the company. How to get in touch with the right department for lending to non-residents in France.