The UK is one of the most attractive countries for property investments, given the buoyancy of the market, availability of finance and choice of real estate on offer. Lending is competitive, and there is a vast selection of creditors available, including those that serve buyers making high-value property purchases and non-UK residents. London property, in particular, is popular with Singapore-based borrowers, given the wide variety of investment properties, pied-a-terre's, buy-to-let options, holiday homes and larger family residences on offer.
Enness is a leading UK mortgage broker, specialising in high-value mortgages for Singapore-based investors looking to buy in London or elsewhere in the UK. Based in London's Mayfair and with a track record of brokering significant UK mortgages for Singaporean residents, Enness can broker:
The UK's property market continues to attract property investors based in Singapore. London investment properties remain a particular favourite of foreign investors, but other major cities in the UK are also attractive from an investment perspective.
There are no restrictions on foreign ownership of property in the UK, regardless of nationality. Securing a UK mortgage always tends to be more complex for non-UK residents, regardless of your nationality or overall net worth, and in this respect, Singapore-based borrowers are no exception. Mainstream lenders, in particular, tread carefully when it comes to non-resident borrowers, particularly if you are looking to borrow a significant amount or buy high-value property (anything over £1 million).
Enness has a track record of successfully supporting expats and non-resident investors to secure highly competitive UK mortgages. Enness will facilitate your access to lenders, negotiate the best rates and terms for a UK mortgage and ensure you secure a property finance package efficiently and with minimum stress.
If you are considering investing in a buy-to-let property in the UK, it is worth understanding the broad differences in the lending products available. Most buy-to-let mortgages in the UK are unregulated. You can use an unregulated buy-to-let mortgage if you (or a family member) do not intend to live in the property. Regulated mortgages are used if you are buying a property you will live in – for example, if you are an expat planning a move back to the UK now or in the future, or if you will rent the property to a family member. The differences between regulated and unregulated mortgages are worth understanding before starting a property search because they influence how much you can borrow and the rules surrounding affordability.
In most circumstances, if you buy a UK property you plan to rent out, you will want to use the rental income to pay off the monthly mortgage. This is standard practice for property investors, and it makes perfect sense from a planning perspective. However, be aware that lenders will want to see that your rental revenue exceeds your monthly mortgage payments by a significant margin. The excess is usually calculated as a percentage, and the margin required will vary from lender to lender, but it is normal for lenders to want to see a margin of at least 110%, although 150% is also common.
Even if you are a high-net-worth individual, lenders will assess you carefully for UK buy-to-let property. Lenders, particularly in the UK, always consider and weigh the risk of lending to non-resident borrowers carefully. However, provided you are in good financial standing and can document that the mortgage is affordable, you will still be able to borrow – even if you are looking for a significant loan.
Some lenders prefer to work with non-resident investors who have a track record of successful property investments in the past. However, many lenders are happy to work with first-time investors, provided you have feasible plans lenders can get behind. Here, it is always worth documenting your plan of action for marketing the property and showcasing how you plan to manage property upkeep and maintenance.
If needed, top slicing may also be an option. You can use top-slicing when the rental revenue you generate from your buy-to-let property is insufficient to cover the monthly mortgage payment. In these cases, Enness can often work with lenders to get them to let you utilise a combination of rental and personal income to pay the mortgage. Top slicing can sometimes increase how much you can borrow, but it is not offered to every borrower and tends to be something lenders reserve for high-net-worth individuals with excellent income. Lenders will want to ensure that top slicing is a viable option from a risk perspective and that you are not at increased risk of default, especially as you are a non-resident borrower. If you would like to explore top slicing as a Singapore resident buying UK property, can negotiate this for you.
Whether you want to buy in London or elsewhere in the UK, and however much you want to borrow, Enness will be able to help you secure the most competitive UK mortgage rates and terms from a network of more than 500 lenders.
The UK mortgage market is one of the most liquid and competitive globally. Lenders are abundant, and many of these are happy to work with Singapore-based borrowers even if you are planning to make high-value property purchases in the UK.
If you live in Singapore and want to buy a high-value property of any kind in the UK, Enness can help you source and negotiate highly competitive UK mortgages. Tracker mortgages start at around 2% for properties in the £1-2 million range, and Enness can secure five-year fixed-rate mortgages from about 2.15%.
Finding a competitive UK mortgage as a non-resident can be difficult, even if you are a British expat living in Singapore. Enness regularly works with non-resident borrowers who have unusual backgrounds or situations, and the team have a track record of securing highly competitive UK mortgages in these scenarios. Your broker will connect you with lenders willing to lend to you and who can meet your requirements. Regardless of your background, your broker will negotiate the best finance package for you and keep the deal moving quickly towards completion.
Whatever your circumstances and however much you are looking to borrow, Enness will explain all your options and help you understand what lenders need to see to offer you the best finance package. Get in touch to chat about how Enness can help, or the rates likely to be available to you. There is never any obligation to proceed beyond an initial discussion if you don't want to take the process further, but the team will be able to give you clarity on your options.
When it comes to a UK mortgage, the rates and terms that you can secure for a UK mortgage as a Singapore resident will primarily be determined by your financial standing, global assets and income. Enness is a leading broker of high-value UK mortgages for non-residents. The team regularly works with (ultra) high-net-worth individuals, securing highly competitive mortgages with exceptional rates and terms.
If you qualify, high-net-worth mortgages can be a preferred product for Singapore-based investors buying property in the UK. High-net-worth mortgages are different from 'standard' mortgages in that they have different rules around affordability, minimum income, and expenditure. Not everyone is eligible for a high-net-worth mortgage, but if you are, you can essentially opt out of regulated oversight, giving more flexibility in terms of what you can borrow and how lenders will assess you.
As a Singapore resident, you may be eligible for a high-net-worth mortgage when you have a yearly income of at least £300,000 or assets equalling at least £3 million (your principal residence cannot form part of this total net worth).
However much you are looking to borrow for your UK property purchase, Enness will always start by reviewing your assets, income (both in Singapore or any worldwide income), and net worth. At this point, your broker will also discuss additional requirements you have about the finance package or terms that you would like. This might include a desire to work with a specific type of lender, flexibility and so on. Your broker will also listen to understand your plans for the property. These may influence the lenders it is best to approach or the terms it is prudent to negotiate – for example, no early repayment fees, and so on. By carefully assessing your financial situation and requirements, your broker will determine which lender will be best able to offer the most competitive UK mortgage that is well suited to your needs and background.
Enness regularly brokers high-net-worth mortgages for non-resident borrowers. Get in touch to learn more about this type of mortgage, its advantages, and your potential eligibility.
If you are based in Singapore and are considering making a UK property investment, most mainstream lenders (e.g., high street banks) prefer to see very "plain vanilla" borrowers – very liquid individuals with a high net worth, large, stable salaries and plenty of assets. If you fall outside of this category (even if you have a very significant net worth), lenders will view you as a complex borrower. Add in anything like multi-currency income, multiple streams of income derived from several businesses or across several geographies, if you are the beneficiary of a trust, are very wealthy but do not have a "typical" salaried role, you will find securing a competitive mortgage in the UK in infinitely more complex if you are operating without a broker.
Enness regularly works with non-resident borrowers who have what many lenders consider "complex" income or a "non-standard" background. Enness focusses on brokering such deals and securing UK mortgages for Singapore-based borrowers that fall into these categories. Working with a broker who can present the strengths of your case to lenders will make all the difference to what rates you are offered and, in some cases, if you can borrow at all.
Before your broker approaches lenders, they will go over your background, assets and interests with you. Your broker will do this to work out which of the 500 lenders in Enness' network will be best placed to cater to you. Doing so speeds up the process and helps lay the foundations for successful negotiations that will reduce the headline rates of your mortgage as much as possible.
If you are resident in Singapore (regardless of your nationality), your broker can assist you to negotiate a high-value UK mortgage, even if you:
If you fall into any of the above categories (or a similar one that is not noted here), don't hesitate to get in touch. Enness' brokers know the UK mortgage market inside out and will be able to assist you as a Singapore resident to secure the best mortgage for your UK property purchase.
Singapore is one of the prominent Asian business centres, and it is renowned for its business-friendly environment, which makes it home to many budding start-ups and businesses. Even if you are a very successful business owner or generate very significant income from being self-employed, obtaining a UK mortgage as a Singapore resident can be difficult. Lenders always tread carefully when it comes to self-employed individuals, especially so when they are based abroad, regardless of your income or success.
If you are based in Singapore and work for yourself in any way, most lenders will use your last three years of tax returns to determine how much you can borrow – they will also use your past tax returns to assess your financial stability. However, your tax returns may not accurately reflect your (or your company's) profitability if you only draw a relatively low salary and reinvest large profits back into the business. You may also have made significant personal investments to set up the company, which will be repaid in the future and can be used to secure more competitive mortgage rates. If this is the case, Enness will be able to inform lenders of this and present a case which showcases the strength of your financial situation and the factors that better reflect your success.
Regardless of your earning power and income, if you work for yourself, live in Singapore and are looking for a UK mortgage, how you present your case to lenders will be especially important. Larger lenders may not be able to consider the broader merits of your case and maybe more rigid in their lending criteria. Enness has extensive experience and an impressive track record of securing very competitive UK mortgages for Singapore-based business owners, entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals.
Enness assists British expats residing in Singapore to access the best UK mortgages. Accessing an expat mortgage as a British national living abroad should be easy, but it is rarely straightforward and can be fraught with complications if you try to arrange your own UK mortgage from your base in Singapore. Not every lender can cater to non-resident borrowers, even if you are a UK citizen. The process can become even more convoluted if you are in the market to buy a high-value property or you want to borrow a significant amount. Enness regularly works with expats from around the world buying property in the UK and will help you source and negotiate the best UK non-resident mortgage available for your requirements.
Enness is a leading broker of million-pound-plus mortgages for high-net-worth individuals and families buying UK property. The team specialises in brokering property finance for non-resident borrowers.
Your broker will always start by listening to your requirements for a UK mortgage. This will include your goals for your property, the type of property you want to buy and any needs you have, such as the type of lenders you would like to work with or any specific terms you would like to benefit from.
Enness will look carefully at your financial situation, global assets and income to identify the best mortgage product for you and which lenders will best meet your needs. Your broker will explain all your options and outline the terms you will likely be able to benefit from. The team will also explain what lenders they will approach on your behalf and why these institutions will be best placed to offer you the most competitive mortgage. When you have the complete picture and give your broker the green light, Enness will then approach lenders on your behalf. Enness is independent and has access to over 500 lenders and your broker will be able to approach the whole market, including private banks, specialist lenders or niche players.
It is always worth noting that the best mortgage for you will not always translate to the cheapest rate. It goes without saying that your broker will always be searching and negotiating the best rates for you, but they will also consider other factors for you. For example, sometimes, you will find that an offer of a slightly higher rate that is part of a package that allows you to borrow more or with more flexible terms is more advantageous than a marginally lower rate.
Enness will negotiate your UK mortgage with lenders and present two or more offers for you to compare. Your broker will lay out all your options (and any potential differences or drawbacks compared to other proposals), so you can make an informed choice of the best offer. Enness will notify the lender and submit your mortgage application on your behalf when you are ready to proceed. Your broker will then ensure the transaction moves forward as quickly as possible and will be available to support you at any time until the transaction is completed.
Enness is a leading, high-value mortgage broker. Based in London's Mayfair, Enness can help you broker a competitive UK mortgage, regardless of how much you are looking to borrow or your requirements. Get in touch with Enness’ team of UK mortgage brokers today to learn more about how the team can support you with securing a UK mortgage.
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