$1.5M International Mortgage Structured Around Complex Contract-Based Income

• Client: High-net-worth international client with substantial contract-based income
• Challenge: Structuring an international mortgage around non-standard, seasonal earnings while existing liquidity remained tied up in another property
• Loan Amount: Circa $1.5 million, approximately 75% LTV

A high-net-worth international client approached Enness Global seeking finance for the purchase of a European holiday home. The client had substantial earnings and a strong overall financial position, but the structure of their income and existing property commitments created challenges for conventional mortgage underwriting.

Unlike a salaried borrower receiving consistent monthly income, a significant proportion of the client's earnings was contract-based and received at different points throughout the year. Although well established, this type of remuneration can be difficult to accommodate within standard affordability models, which are generally designed around predictable monthly or annual employment income.

An additional consideration was that a significant proportion of the client's liquidity remained tied up in an existing residence that was being marketed for sale. Waiting for that transaction to complete before proceeding with the European purchase could have affected the client's preferred acquisition timeline.

Enness identified a lender with experience assessing high-net-worth international borrowers and more complex income structures. Rather than relying solely on conventional salary-based affordability calculations, the case was presented using evidence of historic earnings, contractual income and the client's broader financial position.

This provided the lender with a more complete picture of the client's circumstances and allowed the application to be assessed on its individual merits.

A circa $1.5 million mortgage, representing approximately 75% loan-to-value, was structured against a property valued at circa $2 million. The financing was designed to allow the purchase to progress without making completion dependent on the prior sale of the client's existing residence.

This case demonstrates how specialist lender selection can be particularly important for high-net-worth clients whose earnings do not follow conventional employment patterns. Contract-based, seasonal and other non-standard income may be assessed differently from lender to lender, making both the presentation of the financial profile and the choice of lending institution important considerations.

By taking a broader view of the client's income history and overall financial position, Enness was able to structure an international mortgage solution suited to the circumstances of the proposed purchase.

Disclaimer

This case study is provided for illustrative and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Some examples may be based on multiple client scenarios or enquiries and do not necessarily represent completed transactions. Lending is subject to individual circumstances, lender criteria, valuation, underwriting and approval. Loan-to-value and other terms shown are specific to the circumstances of the case and should not be taken as indicative of terms available to other borrowers.

Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other debt secured against it.

Enness Global is a trading name of Enness Limited, a credit broker, not a lender. Enness Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference 565120). Certain international mortgage and lending activities may fall outside the scope of UK regulation.