international mortgages

florida

Essential information for buying properties in USA

Buying property abroad is not necessarily the same as buying in the UK, there is other essential information you need to be aware of both before and during your property purchase.

It is of paramount importance to seek independent advice from an overseas solicitor.

You need to ensure that you will have full title to the property on completion and that you have the appropriate documents available for the lender. In the USA Bonded Title Companies are used, they will check and clear title on your and the lender’s behalf.

Before signing the sales contract, the bank will require a copy of this document to be forwarded with the relevantapplication form. However you are able to sign this contract with the clause “subject to mortgage finance” as the contract, once signed is normally legally binding.

You should check with the estate agent and/or your lawyer that you are aware of the costs charged by legal and Government authorities for buying a property in America. The lender will also have their own legal costs for assigning the loan, the cost of which they will normally advise you when they issue the mortgage offer. These associated fees/taxes will be approx. between 4% - 5% of the properties purchase price.

Please be aware that the solicitor or notary may be incorporating costs for assigning the mortgage within their charges, and you should establish the actual cost before proceeding with a loan application.

All American mortgages should have a suitable life assurance policy assigned to them. It is not mandatory but strongly advisable.

Properties can be purchased either individually or in joint names to a maximum of four people, or in the name of either a US or Offshore Company.

Eligibility and criteria

USA

We typically arrange loans in the US Dollars or Sterling; however other currencies are available if your salary is paid in that currency
Repayment and Interest only loans are available
The maximum loan to value is 65/70%
The maximum term is 30 years
The minimum loan amount is US$150,000/£100,000 with no maximum
All schemes require full documentary evidence of income – ‘self-cert’ mortgages are not available

Affordability

To qualify for a mortgage in the USA, a calculation is used to establish whether you can afford to maintain the mortgage repayments. This will automatically happen when you complete our enquiry form and we will not charge you for this service.

Example for US Dollar mortgage only: Your existing liabilities, including your UK mortgage or rental payments, loans, credit card payments and maintenance are taken into account, together with the proposed USA mortgage payments. All this must not typically exceed 38% of your monthly gross income. For example if your gross joint income is £2,500, 38% of this equates to £950. If your only liability is your current UK mortgage payment of say £300 per month, this would leave a balance of £650 for your USA mortgage repayment.

Example for Sterling mortgage only: If, for example, your gross annual income is £100k per annum we will use 5 x £100k, minus any existing mortgage/other existing debts. For example, £100k per annum x 5 = £500k minus existing mortgage borrowing of £75k and no other existing debts, we could therefore lend £425k.

The amount that you can borrow is also restricted by the maximum loan to value as mentioned under Eligibility and criteria.

Proof of income requirements

If you are employed:

Your last three month’s payslips
Your latest P60 and employers reference
Your last three month’s personal bank statements

If you are self-employed:

Your last two year’s audited accounts, tax returns and accountants reference
Your last 3 month’s personal bank statements

Other documents will be required and will be confirmed when application forms are sent to you.

If you would like to speak with a representative to discuss your requirements please call +(34) 677 874 948

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