Residential Mortgage Loan Solutions

Mortgage interest rates in the Eurozone are on the rise, putting Britons who have borrowed to buy holiday homes in Spain under increasing financial pressure. As a foreigner or non-resident, if you are looking to buy property in Portugal and want to use a mortgage to finance the purchase, now is a good time because the banks are lending again thanks to the economic recovery and the solid real estate market.

That's part of the reason why we're regularly rated as five stars on Feefo, and why Portugal mortgages are a popular topic with our customers. These types of Portuguese mortgage are not offered by the banks to High St customers and are only available to professional mortgage brokers in Portugal.

In 2011 over hanging economic pressures will continue to loom over the UK. November 2010 saw inflation rise 3.3%, which is well above the Bank of England's target of 2%. Obviously the Expat mortgage in Portugal more this increases the more it affects our standard of living and if it hits 4% which is possible, the government will have to seriously think about increasing interest rates.

Valuation report - if the valuation is no lower than the agreed purchase price and the property has no legal issues, the completion arrangements can be made. So a rise in inflation and interest rates will put more pressure on borrowers using tracker mortgages and make it less desirable for investors to borrow if strict lending policies are maintained.

If the valuation is at least the agreed purchase price and there are no legal issues relating to the property, the date and details regarding completion of the property purchase will be confirmed. Other lenders may have more competitive rates but a cap on the level of borrowing whilst others may not offer fixed rate products.

You should always go through the same process that you would follow if you were buying a property in the UK. Take independent advice from an English-speaking lawyer who is not connected to your seller, estate agent or property developer. In fact, since we can get a loan for 100% of the purchase price, let's get a bigger house than we actually need and count on a huge appreciation.

Cold and bleak translates into: GDP steady or falling (recession); high interest rates on public and private debt; inflation rising; shortage of credit for businesses and private mortgages; tax rates going up; rising unemployment; stock market prices falling ('bear' market).

Mortgage lenders in Portugal have generally been averse to following the negative Euribor rate, with interest rates for prime borrowers hovering between 3.25 percent and 5.25 percent, depending on the specifics of the loan, although lower mortgage rates may be offered in certain situations.

Such rates may increase if you require more credit, say 60% or 70% loan to value. Mortgage loans are, in fact, the main engine of the recovery of the credit levels in Portugal. Banks in Portugal will lend to nonresidents for up to 30 years (or until age 75) and offer up to 80% LTV in some cases.

In each country the local lenders are increasingly catering for UK buyers and some UK based banks will also offer mortgages on overseas property. With the property market heading for the house, the households' bank rating for home loans rose in July for the fourth consecutive month to EUR 1,117 per square meter plus EUR 5 compared to the previous month.