Best mortgage brokers in Spain for non-residents (2026)

Buying property in Spain with a Spanish mortgage, whether you’re a Spanish resident or a non-resident, often involves tight timelines, bank-specific requirements, and documentation surprises. This page does not rank specific brokers; it lays out selection criteria and a verification checklist you can use to evaluate any mortgage broker or intermediary. Where the process typically differs for residents vs non-residents, those differences are called out.

This guide is for you if you:

• Are buying in Spain and want to finance with a Spanish mortgage (primary residence, second home, or investment)
• Are Spanish tax-resident or non-resident (including relocating buyers whose residency status/timing is not yet clear)
• Need a structured way to compare brokers on process quality, transparency, and risk control, not marketing claims
• Want to understand the typical differences to plan for (LTV, documentation, timelines) between resident and non-resident applications

Many fundamentals are shared (property valuation, underwriting, notary completion), but banks often apply different risk assumptions depending on whether you are Spanish tax-resident or non-resident.

Typical patterns (always bank- and profile-dependent):

If you are Spanish resident, you may see

• Higher typical LTV (especially for a primary residence), which can reduce the cash you need up front. See: Down payment to buy property in Spain.
• More straightforward income verification when income is paid in Spain and supported by Spanish tax/social security documents.
• A wider choice of products/structures, but still with bank-specific requirements and timelines.

If you are non-resident, you may see

• Lower typical LTV (higher cash requirement). Many non-resident cases are more conservative on LTV, increasing the cash you must bring for the price plus taxes/fees.
• More extensive and bank-specific documentation. Often including translated documents, additional proofs of funds, and stricter consistency checks.
• Tighter timelines and dependencies. The mortgage path can depend on property selection, valuation, and legal checks, often under reservation/arras deadlines.
• Cross-border income and currency complexity. If income/assets are in different jurisdictions or currencies, banks may apply more conservative assumptions.

For non-resident pricing context (where relevant): Spain mortgage interest rates in 2026 for non-residents.

Rather than looking for a generic “best broker,” compare providers across criteria you can check and document.

1) Scope: mortgage-only vs integrated support

Some providers are mortgage-only. Others combine mortgage brokering with buyer-side property support.

What to clarify:

• Do you only need financing, or also help coordinating the purchase timeline (viewings → offer → due diligence → arras → valuation → notary)?
• Who is responsible for critical-path coordination to avoid missed deadlines?

Background on service models: Presta Estate vs DIY portals, seller agents, mortgage-only brokers & lawyers.

2) Bank access and approach (panel size is not everything)

Ask how the broker typically works with lenders:

• Do they approach multiple banks for you, or primarily one/few?
• Do they run a pre-assessment before you commit to a deposit?
• Can they explain why certain banks are/aren’t a fit for your profile (income type, country, age, property type)?

3) Process transparency (what you get, and when)

Request a clear written description of:

• The steps from initial assessment to bank approval to notary completion
• What documents are required, in what format, and typical turnaround times
• How they handle updates (weekly cadence, shared checklist, single point of contact)

4) Incentives and conflicts of interest

A broker can be paid by the client, by the bank, or both (models vary). This does not automatically make a broker “good” or “bad”, but it should be transparent.

You want to know:

• Who pays the broker, how much, and when
• Whether they receive referral fees from estate agents, developers, lawyers, insurers, or currency providers
• Whether they require (or strongly push) specific add-ons and why

5) Evidence of competence (without relying on unverifiable testimonials)

Instead of marketing claims, ask for:

• Anonymised examples of recent cases similar to yours (income type, country of residence, property price range)
• A list of common failure points and how they mitigate them (valuation gaps, document issues, deposit timelines)
• Clear boundaries: what they do not do (e.g., legal advice) and how they coordinate with your lawyer

Use this checklist to verify that a broker/intermediary is operating transparently and that you understand the deal.

A) Registration and identity checks

• Legal entity details: Ask for the broker’s registered company name, tax ID, address, and the individual responsible for your file.
• Bank of Spain registration (where applicable): Ask whether they are registered as a mortgage credit intermediary (or otherwise authorised/registered as required for their activity) and request their registration details/number. Verify it yourself on the relevant public register.
• AICAT (Catalonia, where relevant): If the provider is also acting as an estate agent/property intermediary in Catalonia, ask for their AICAT registration and verify it in the public register.

B) Insurance and contract questions

Professional liability / civil liability insurance: Ask what insurance covers their activity, the coverage limits, and what it covers/excludes.

Written contract / engagement letter: Request a written agreement that states:

• Scope of service (what they will and won’t do)
• Service timeline assumptions and your responsibilities (document delivery times, decision points)
• Data handling and confidentiality
• Complaint/escalation process
• Termination/cancellation terms

C) Fee transparency (and “what is included”)

All fees in writing: Ask for a written schedule of all fees you may pay (fixed, percentage, success fees), plus when they become due.

Refundability: If any fee is paid upfront, ask what happens if:

• the bank declines
• the valuation is low
• you change property
• you decide not to proceed

What is included: Clarify whether the fee includes:

• pre-assessment
• submitting to multiple banks
• negotiation of conditions
• support through valuation, underwriting, and notary
• support if the first bank declines

D) Conflicts of interest and “who benefits”

Bank commission: Ask whether the broker receives a commission from the bank and whether it varies by bank/product.

Third-party referral fees: Ask whether they receive any payment from:

• estate agents / developers
• lawyers / conveyancers
• insurers (life/home)
• currency exchange providers

Linked product pressure: If they push specific insurance products or add-ons, ask:

• whether they earn from it
• whether it is mandatory for approval or optional for pricing
• the cost impact over the full mortgage term

E) Process quality and timeline risk controls

• Pre-deposit assessment: Will they assess feasibility before you sign arras or pay a large deposit?
• Document checklist: Do they provide a clear checklist tailored to your country/income type?
• Plan B: What happens if the valuation comes in low, or the first bank declines?
• Communication cadence: Who updates you, how often, and in what format?

Purchases in Spain that rely on mortgage finance can fail (or become expensive) due to timing mismatches between the legal/purchase timeline and the mortgage timeline. Non-residents are often more exposed because bank requirements can be stricter and less predictable.

Pitfalls to watch:

• Paying a reservation/arras deposit before confirming mortgage feasibility. If you commit to arras without a realistic financing plan, you may lose leverage or in some cases risk losing the deposit.
• Assuming “pre-approval” is final. Early indications can change after valuation and full underwriting.
• Underestimating how long documents take. Bank requirements can be specific; delays often come from missing formats, translations, or inconsistent statements.
• Valuation risk. If the valuation is below the agreed price, the bank may lend less than expected, meaning more cash is needed quickly.

A practical risk-reducer is to do a structured feasibility check early: Spanish mortgage pre-assessment for non-residents.

A potentially good fit if you want

• Mortgage-only help in many cases (bank shortlisting, packaging the file, submissions, negotiation, and follow-through to notary), especially if you already have a property selected and your own lawyer/agent
• Buying-process support alongside financing (often helpful around arras/valuation/notary timelines) if you prefer an integrated workflow
• A process designed to surface feasibility constraints early (documents, timelines, likely lender fit), particularly for non-resident files
• Comfort working with cross-border income and, in many cases, non-EUR / non-USD income (subject to lender policy and FX/underwriting assumptions)
• Support for some difficult or unusual situations (e.g., variable/self-employed income, multiple jurisdictions, property-specific constraints) on a case-by-case basis and subject to lender appetite
• Refinancing support in many cases (e.g., switching/renegotiating an existing Spanish mortgage), subject to lender policy and valuation
• Familiarity with “doble garantía” (double-collateral) structures where appropriate/available, always subject to lender policy and independent legal advice

Probably not a fit if you prefer

• Doing everything DIY (shortlisting banks, chasing documents, and managing timelines yourself)
• Going direct to banks and handling document coordination yourself (or via your lawyer)
• The lowest-cost option above everything else (rather than paying for coordination, speed, and guidance)

To understand the service model and alternatives:

• Overview: What is Presta Estate?
• Comparison of approaches: Presta Estate vs DIY portals, seller agents, mortgage-only brokers & lawyers

If you prefer to split responsibilities (e.g., choose a mortgage-only broker and a separate buyer’s agent and/or lawyer-led process), you can still use the selection criteria and verification checklist above to evaluate each provider.