Middle Eastern homebuyers have the strongest borrowing platform to fund high-end home purchases
The world’s leading high-net-worth mortgage broker, Enness Global, has revealed which high-end foreign buyers currently have the strongest property purchasing pedigree when it comes to the mortgage to earnings ratio of the top one per cent of earners.
Enness analysed 27 nations based on the current income threshold of the top 1% of earners and what this equates to in terms of the sum they can secure through a mortgage when looking to purchase a property.
The research shows that high-end homebuyers from Qatar are currently in the strongest position when looking to obtain a mortgage for a prime property purchase. With a top 1% income threshold of £1.202m, Qatari homebuyers can borrow as much as £7.215m at a lending ratio of six to one.
Homebuyers from the United Arab Emirates are in the second strongest position in the current high-end property market. A 1% income threshold of £696,249 means they can fund their property purchase to the tune of £4.177m when securing a mortgage.
Those looking to borrow in the current market from Saudi Arabia complete the top three with a mortgage purchasing power of £2.879m.
Outside of the Middle East, buyers from the US (£1.987m), Germany (£1.175m), Turkey (£1.099m), the UK (£1.066m), Canada (£1.029m) and the Netherlands (£977k) also rank within the top 10.
Managing Director of Enness Global Mortgages, Hugh Wade-Jones commented:
“Even those with the strongest financial foundations will still be restricted to borrowing a certain amount based on their mortgage to earnings ratio, although they will, of course, be afforded a higher ratio than the average buyer.
As a result, the borrowing potential of the high-net-worth homebuyer can vary widely and when looking at how this differs based on nationality, it’s clear the Middle East is currently leading the charge in terms of the foreign buyers in the strongest positions when securing a mortgage.
Of course, income is not the only thing which drives mortgage capacity. The size of the borrower’s deposit, their balance sheet, liquid and illiquid assets, background wealth and use of the property being purchased all play a part.
What’s certain is that there is a huge availability of mortgage finance in the UK for international borrowers at present and these are some of the best nations placed to take advantage of the current landscape.”
| Region | Nation | Top 1% national income threshold (GBP) | Income amount | Mortgage to earnings ratio – 6:1 |
| Middle East | Qatar | £1,202,533 | £1,202,533 | £7,215,201 |
| Middle East | United Arab Emirates | £696,249 | £696,249 | £4,177,493 |
| Middle East | Saudi Arabia | £479,835 | £479,835 | £2,879,010 |
| North America | United States | £331,242 | £331,242 | £1,987,454 |
| Middle East | Bahrain | £315,468 | £315,468 | £1,892,811 |
| Europe | Germany | £195,836 | £195,836 | £1,175,017 |
| Europe/Asia | Turkey | £183,163 | £183,163 | £1,098,977 |
| Europe | United Kingdom | £177,656 | £177,656 | £1,065,938 |
| North America | Canada | £171,485 | £171,485 | £1,028,909 |
| Europe | Netherlands | £162,914 | £162,914 | £977,482 |
| Europe | France | £161,194 | £161,194 | £967,165 |
| Oceania | Australia | £157,712 | £157,712 | £946,274 |
| Europe | Spain | £150,950 | £150,950 | £905,702 |
| Asia | South Korea | £150,700 | £150,700 | £904,199 |
| Asia | Japan | £139,690 | £139,690 | £838,137 |
| Europe | Italy | £132,339 | £132,339 | £794,033 |
| Africa | South Africa | £120,897 | £120,897 | £725,381 |
| South America | Brazil | £115,634 | £115,634 | £693,806 |
| South America | Chile | £111,840 | £111,840 | £671,041 |
| Europe/Asia | Russia | £108,537 | £108,537 | £651,220 |
| Africa | Egypt | £98,998 | £98,998 | £593,989 |
| South America | Columbia | £90,020 | £90,020 | £540,122 |
| Africa | Algeria | £88,623 | £88,623 | £531,739 |
| Africa | Morocco | £72,842 | £72,842 | £437,053 |
| Africa | Nigeria | £70,068 | £70,068 | £420,409 |
| Asia | China | £59,745 | £59,745 | £358,472 |
| Asia | India | £50,377 | £50,377 | £302,263 |
Top 1% national income threshold sourced from WID.
Mortgage to earnings ratio sourced from Enness
Notes :
- Enness Global arranges high value mortgages and finances secured against prime real estate in the UK and internationally.
- They work exclusively with over 300 global lenders to secure the best terms based on individual circumstances.
- They offer cohesive global mortgage solutions via a network of international offices and understand the intricacies of individual market places.
- Enness CEO, Islay Robinson, co-founded the company in 2007 and his expertise have recently been recognised by The Spear’s 500 Guide to the best private client advisers.
- Co-founder of Enness and Managing Director Hugh Wade-Jones is a widely recognised industry leader, winning Best Broker for Large Loans for three consecutive years, and described by the Financial Times as the to go mortgage broker for the super rich.
- Both have decades of industry experience between them and are unrivalled in their knowledge of the sector.
