Mortgage broker near Geneva
for cross-border workers and expats
4,9
Your entire mortgage journey handled in English: currency haircut, 2nd pillar (LPP), loans in euros, Swiss francs or both. For 10 years, our Ferney-Voltaire advisers have helped cross-border workers and expats finance their French home.
Projets financés / an
Années d’expérience
Cross-border mortgage
Buying in France with
a salary in Swiss francs
Working in Switzerland and buying in France is entirely possible. The bank converts your CHF income into euros, and some then apply a haircut (typically 10 to 20%) to protect against currency risk. But this is not a general rule: every bank has its own policy, and some apply no haircut at all.
That is exactly where a broker makes the difference: knowing which banks treat cross-border files best, and presenting yours to the right person, properly structured, from the first submission. The French 35% debt-to-income cap (HCSF rule) then applies as for any borrower, based on the income the bank retains.
Everything can be done in English: your meetings, calls and emails with our advisers, and clear explanations of every French document you will sign. You never face a compromis de vente or a loan offer without understanding exactly what it says. English-speaking files are handled personally by Gilles Richard and Sébastien Aujard, the firm’s two founding partners.
Your financing options
Euro loan, Swiss franc
loan, or both?
Three options are available, and we run the numbers on each before recommending a route. Across our cross-border cases, roughly 60 % are financed in euros, 35 % in Swiss francs and 5 % as a mixed structure.
-
Euro loan
The most common choice: the debt is fixed in euros, but if your income is in CHF, the francs needed for each repayment remain exposed to the exchange rate. Offered by most French banks, subject to their lending criteria.
-
Swiss franc loan
Worth considering when most of your income stays in CHF long term. Offered by a few specialised banks.
-
Mixed EUR/CHF financing
An often overlooked option: part of the loan in each currency to spread the exchange-rate risk.
-
2nd pillar (LPP) as deposit
Can fund a primary residence, including in France. Note: early withdrawal is taxed at source in Switzerland and takes several weeks to months.
Cross-border mortgage
Your questions, answered…
What haircut do banks apply to a CHF salary?
It depends entirely on the conversion rate the bank uses. On our panel, only two lenders convert your CHF salary at the daily market rate; the others apply a fixed prudential rate of 1.15 CHF to 1 EUR, which cuts the income they take into account by close to 20%. On a 400,000 EUR purchase, that gap represents more than 70,000 EUR of borrowing capacity for the exact same file. Identifying the most favourable lenders is precisely what we do.
Can I use my 2nd pillar to buy in France?
Yes, for a primary residence. Be aware: early withdrawal is taxed at source in Switzerland, which reduces the amount actually available, and it lowers your future pension. Allow several weeks to months before signing.
Should I borrow in euros or in Swiss francs?
In euros for most borrowers. A CHF loan makes sense if your income stays in francs long term, and mixed EUR/CHF financing spreads the currency risk across both.
Does the French 35% debt-to-income cap apply to me?
Yes, as for any borrower in France, calculated on the income the bank retains. Disposable income and account history complete the bank’s decision.
Do you work with non-residents and G, B or C permits?
Yes: cross-border workers, Swiss residents investing in France and non-residents. Status, permit and Swiss employment history each change how banks read your file, and we know how.
Can the whole process really be handled in English?
Yes. English-speaking clients are followed personally by Gilles Richard and Sébastien Aujard, the firm’s two founding partners: meetings, negotiations with banks on your behalf, and plain-English explanations of all French paperwork, from the compromis to the final loan offer. Just ask for either of them.
Demande de rendez-vous