Spanish mortgage as a self-employed buyer or company owner
Anonymised examples of financing for the self-employed, freelancers and entrepreneurs.
In short
Does the bank assess the self-employed differently?
Yes, differently and on more paperwork: the bank examines annual accounts and tax assessments over several years and looks for a stable, recurring result. Documented profit counts, not turnover.
I draw little from my company — a problem?
The most common one here: retained profits are not private income and do not count. If you intend to buy, plan distributions early.
Does planned rental income count?
No — future rental income from the financed property is not used. Existing income from other properties is recognised, often only in part.
How do self-employed buyers finance a property in Spain?
On demonstrated earning power rather than payslips — and with more lead time. Spanish lenders review several completed years and work from the taxed result, not from turnover. Whatever was kept low in the accounts for tax reasons directly reduces the lending capacity here, which particularly affects owner-directors whose drawings and company profits are assessed separately. The customary lending ceiling for non-residents sits at around 70 per cent of the tasación, and fluctuating income tends to produce a discount rather than a refusal. Preparation is what decides it: complete documentation, explained fluctuations and a plausible account of recent years. Anyone who starts assembling papers after signing the private contract loses exactly the time needed to find the right lender. The cases on this page show how differently income types are assessed, from freelancers to owner-directors with fluctuating drawings.
Self-employed: the bank sees your profit, not your turnover
Self-employed buyers and business owners are financed in Spain — routinely, and with no penalty for being self-employed. They fail on something else: which figure the bank accepts as income.
An employee submits three payslips and the case is clear. For a business owner, the Spanish bank examines annual accounts and tax assessments over several years and looks for a stable, recurring result. Not the best year. The reliable one.
- Turnover — impresses nobody. It appears nowhere in the bank's calculation.
- Profit — this is the figure that counts. Declared and documented — from at least two sets of annual accounts.
- What stays in the company — does not count. Retained profits are not the shareholder's private income. Anyone who has deliberately drawn little for years to optimise tax appears before the bank with a low income.
Tax optimisation and creditworthiness pull in opposite directions. That is not a criticism of your accountant — it simply means that if you intend to buy in Spain within two years, distribution planning belongs on the table today.
The debt-service ratio of 30 to 35 per cent of net income applies here too. What is counted is your actual net — the declared profit minus taxes and social-security contributions; that is no different in Germany. And every commitment is added up — business loans, leases, guarantees and your mortgage at home included. And a common error: future rental income from the Spanish property is not counted. Existing rental income is recognised, often only in part.
Frequently asked — Self-employed & entrepreneurs
I am self-employed. Does a Spanish bank assess me differently from an employee?
I deliberately draw little from my company. Is that a problem?
Does planned rental income from the Spanish property count?
Cases from this theme — by region
Mallorca
Practical case Mallorca: Exclusive villa in Port d'Andratx
Preserving the asset structure instead of using all capital
Practical case Mallorca: Modern apartment in Port d'Andratx
Reaching the holiday property with 40 % equity
Practical case Mallorca: Exclusive finca near Es Trenc
Family wealth deployed strategically for a premium property
Costa Blanca
Alicante: city apartment with historic flair and comfort
In city-centre locations in Alicante in particular, a close look at existing properties is worthwhile.
Practical case Costa Blanca: Penthouse in Altea
The proceeds from a company sale as a solid basis
Practical case Costa Blanca: Villa in Calpe
When bonus payments and variable income are correctly assessed
Algarve
Lagos: Financing a villa near Ponta da Piedade for a permanent centre of life
Lagos combines an exceptional coastal landscape with excellent everyday infrastructure.
Vilamoura: financing a villa near the golf courses
Even in the upper market segment, complete financing planning pays off.
Carvoeiro: Financing a bungalow near the coast for a permanent centre of life
Anyone who wants to live in Portugal over the long term should think about future living needs already at the property purchase.
Gran Canaria
Practical case Gran Canaria: Villa in Meloneras
High-quality living with a view of the Atlantic
Practical case Gran Canaria: Villa in San Agustín
Deliberately keeping the home in Germany
Canary Islands
Practical case Lanzarote: Villa in Costa Teguise
High-quality living with long-term asset planning
Tenerife
Practical case Tenerife: Exclusive villa in Costa Adeje
The dream of year-round life on the Canary Islands
Costa Brava
Penthouse in Palamós — retiring after the handover
Comfortable living with a view of the marina
Townhouse in Empuriabrava — self-employed developer
Living permanently by the water with well-considered overall financing
Costa de Valencia
Oliva: Financing a villa in a quiet residential setting for a permanent centre o
Oliva shows that quiet residential locations, good infrastructure and proximity to the sea can be combined excellently.
Benicàssim: Financing a villa near the beach for a permanent centre of life
Benicàssim offers not only attractive beach locations but also quiet residential areas with a high quality of life.
Cullera: Financing a penthouse with a view of the Mediterranean for a permanent
Cullera offers an interesting alternative to the well-known metropolises on the Spanish Mediterranean coast.
Costa del Sol
Marbella: Villa financing for a permanent centre of life
For high-quality properties in Marbella too, it is sensible not to consider the purchase price alone.
Benahavís: Financing a villa with a panoramic view for a permanent centre of lif
With high-quality properties, additional investment often arises even though the property is already in very good condition.
Mijas: Financing an Andalusian country house for life between the coast and the
Not every property with a rural character is automatically a rustic finca.
Madeira
Townhouse in Câmara de Lobos — self-employed buyer
Authentic living a short distance from Funchal
A similar situation in Spain and Portugal? Let's talk.
Every financing in Spain and Portugal is an individual case. In a free initial consultation I will tell you honestly what is feasible and which bank fits.
Book a free consultationAnonymised individual case, not a binding statement for other projects · Siegfried Perini for the owner Olga Nikushkina · §34i GewO · no tax or legal advice · no financing commitment; conditions depend on creditworthiness, loan-to-value and bank