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Specialists for individuals and small businesses in:
French Tax Administration Services
French Tax Planning
UK Tax Administration Relating to French matters

Mortgage Service

Thursday, 21 December, 2017
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WHAT SERVICES DO WE OFFER?

BROKING

INTEREST RATES SAVINGS

As independent brokers we have access to a large number of lenders,  found exclusively in France and Spain, through long-standing established relationships  offering mortgages to the non-resident for the purchase of holiday and retirement homes in France and Spain . We are able to offer schemes that are exclusive to Charles Hamer and in other instances we are the only UK based broker offering the scheme. 

MAXIMUM ADVANCES

We can obtain mortgages in France equal to 85% of the purchase price including renovation and agency costs for non-residents. For Spain the LTV is equal to 70% of the purchase price of the Spanish property. We can also achieve advances equal to 100% for those resident in France.   We also have access to mortgages in sterling secured on the French property which we believe is a market leader and only available through our company, for further details please send your request by email to the French mortgage Department – mortgages@charleshamer.co.uk .  High income multiples and flexible attitudes by lenders to ancillary income also enables us to consider applications which fall outside the strictest lending criteria of the mainstream banks to include gites, and residential /rental ventures.  To receive an up-to-date personalised quote please visit our online calculator or contact Javier and Alice directly for more details by telephone on 01844 261886.

SERVICES PRIOR TO PURCHASE

In addition to the possible cash savings generated by our broking expertise, we can also provide a  service of pre-qualification for a mortgage before you go out and find your property.   French and Spanish Banks offer a 3 day turnaround service for an in-principle agreement.  There are occasions when this can take longer depending on seasonal factors  when the banks are short -staffed due to holiday leave or at times of high levels of demand.   This service enables our clients to establish  a realistic and achievable price range prior to incurring the cost of a trip to France or Spain to view suitable properties.  

SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE MORTGAGE BROKER SERVICE :-

BILINGUAL STAFF

As part of our service we have both French and Spanish speaking Staff members available to assist you with the understanding of both French and Spanish documents throughout the mortgage process . 

CONVERTING STERLING TO EUROS

It is important to choose the right company when looking at converting sterling into Euros prior to paying your holding deposit on the property, and even more importantly, prior to paying your final cash contribution to the purchase, (just prior to completion of the sale). The sums involved are considerable and therefore any saving in the exchange rate should be extremely helpful to put  toward the purchase costs or to cover any other incidental costs associated with the French or Spanish purchase. Main stream UK banks, (including your own) do not specialize in foreign currency exchange, therefore it is always advisable to speak to a specialist company in order to maximise savings over those available through UK based banks. Our partner SMART FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE not only offers the assurance of being registered with the UK regulator – the FCA - but also from experience offers an excellent professional service to our clients.

SMART CURRENCY BROKER – to arrange a call back or to request an up to date exchange rate for of sterling into Euros etc., please click here

SAFEGUARD DEPOSIT

FRENCH PURCHASE - We establish immediate contact with the notaire(s) informing them of your application for mortgage funds and ensure that the "Condition Suspensive" concerning obtaining funds is adhered to, thus safeguarding your deposit.

SPANISH PURCHASE -   The contract is not usually subject to a mortgage clause and therefore a deposit is not safe-guarded in the event of a Spanish mortgage being unforthcoming.   With our associated Spanish bank we are able to obtain the bank’s approval, prior to the contract being signed and the deposit being forwarded to the Spanish notaire.  

COMPLETION STATEMENT

During the course of the application, and once the mortgage offer has been issued, we provide an estimate of the purchase costs, verified by the notaire, giving sufficient advance notice of when and how much your contribution will need to be at completion, in addition to the mortgage funds and deposit already paid.

FRENCH AND SPANISH BANK ACCOUNT

We open a bank account on your behalf and oversee the initial deposit of funds to cover the first month's mortgage payment. If required a cheque book will be obtained, and subject to status, a Carte Bleue in France (the equivalent of  a UK credit card), is usually obtainable.

THE PURCHASE CONTRACT 

Our role is limited to that of providing financial advice, and we recommend specialist legal advice be obtained regarding your contractual rights and obligations. We are in a position to oversee the completion of the French Compromis in respect of the terms and conditions to obtain a mortgage, and confirm the estimated notaire's fees.

French and Spanish  Buildings Insurance

We will introduce you to insurers in France and in Spain and arrange with the new insurance provider to cancel any existing policy arranged by the vendor, if required.

LIFE ASSURANCE 

We will organise suitable life policies in either the UK, in France, or in Spain in accordance with the lender’s requirements in association with the Euro Mortgage . In certain cases we can ask the banks to waive the requirement for life assurance or to allow the use of existing/external policies which can offer Inheritance Tax benefits for the purchase in France .

POWER OF ATTORNEY

If completion is to take place by Power of Attorney we will liaise with the notaire to confirm that the document is suitable for the mortgage contract, and provide instructions for legalising the document in the UK.

SERVICES AFTER PURCHASE

Newsletter - By means of a quarterly newsletter, to which subscription is free, all our clients receive up-to-date information of financial developments both in France and the UK which may have a bearing on French property ownership.  The latest developments with the BREXIT discussions will be regularly posted on our website under breaking news for the benefit of the French and Spanish property owner

Complimentary French Tax and Social Security Reports

Many buyers of French property either wish to generate an income via seasonal or long-term rentals , others intend to immediately or eventually retire to France. Charles Hamer has several introductory reports covering a wide range of topics from French taxation of furnished holiday lettings, to the cost and obligations of adhesion to the French Social Security system. All are available to our clients on request and without charge.


 

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