Financing Property in Sint Maarten as a Non-Resident: What Lenders Ask For
Financing property in Sint Maarten as a non-resident is possible, but it is slower and asks for more money down than buying at home. Several banks on the Dutch side say openly that they lend to non-residents, French banks lend on the French side, and many buyers borrow in their home country instead. Most of our international clients still pay cash, and the ones who finance successfully start with the bank before they start with the listings.
This guide covers who lends, what they ask for, the down payment you should plan for, the currency question and how a loan fits into the notary process on each side.
Who lends on the Dutch side
Banks active in Sint Maarten that offer mortgages include Windward Islands Bank (WIB), RBC Royal Bank, Republic Bank, CIBC FirstCaribbean, Banco di Caribe and PSB Bank. WIB, RBC and Republic Bank state that they lend to non-residents as well as residents. That does not mean every bank will lend to every buyer on every property. Appetite changes with the bank, your profile and the building.
Things that move a lender:
The property. A freehold condo in an established building with healthy association finances is easier to finance than a villa under renovation or a lot. Long-lease (erfpacht) land needs extra review.
Your income and where it is earned. Salaried income with tax returns is easier to verify than foreign business income.
An existing relationship. Opening an account with the bank early helps, and it is where your association fees and utilities will be paid from anyway.
Who lends on the French side
Saint-Martin is part of the euro zone and French banks operate in Marigot, among them BRED and BNP Paribas Antilles-Guyane. Buyers who already bank in France often find it easier to go through their own French bank, which knows their file. French lenders typically ask for borrower insurance (assurance emprunteur) and look closely at your debt-to-income ratio. Loans are in euros.
On the French side, financing is written into the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) as a condition, the condition suspensive de prêt, with the loan amount, maximum rate and a deadline. If the loan is refused within those terms, you recover your deposit. Read that clause carefully before you sign. Our guide to buying on the French side walks through the whole sequence.
Borrowing at home instead
Many buyers finance the island purchase with money raised at home. Common routes:
A home equity loan or line of credit on a house you already own.
A cash-out refinance of your main residence.
A loan from your private bank secured on investments.
In our experience, mainstream US mortgage lenders do not lend against Caribbean property, which is why American buyers who borrow usually do it against a US asset. The advantage: you arrive as a cash buyer, which strengthens your offer and shortens the timeline. The risk: your home now carries the debt. Talk to your own adviser about the tax side in your home country.
Occasionally a seller will carry part of the price. It happens, but rarely, and it needs a notary-drafted agreement and a registered mortgage in the seller's favour.
Down payment: plan for more than you would at home
There is no single rule. Non-resident loans in the Caribbean commonly finance well under the full price, and industry sources put typical loan-to-value for international buyers at around 60% to 70%, meaning a down payment of roughly 30% to 40%. Some banks go further for strong profiles, some less for villas or older buildings. Ask the lender for a written indication before you make an offer.
On top of the down payment, keep cash for closing costs. On the Dutch side, total closing costs commonly come to about 5% of the price, including the 4% transfer tax paid by the buyer, and a mortgage adds its own notary deed and fees. On the French side, closing costs are higher; ask the notaire for an estimate that includes the mortgage.
What lenders ask for
Expect a full file, similar to what you would give a bank at home, plus a few extras:
Passport and proof of address.
Proof of income: recent tax returns, pay slips or company accounts.
Bank and investment statements showing the down payment and reserves.
A credit report from your home country and, often, a reference letter from your bank.
The signed purchase agreement or compromis.
A valuation by an appraiser the bank accepts.
Proof of property insurance, including windstorm cover, with the bank named on the policy.
Allow for translations and certified copies if your documents are not in English (Dutch side) or French (French side).
The currency question
Sint Maarten's official currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), which replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder on 31 March 2025 and is pegged at 1.79 to the US dollar. In practice, property is priced and paid in US dollars, and Dutch-side loans are commonly available in dollars. On the French side, prices and loans are in euros.
If you earn in dollars and borrow in euros, or the reverse, your monthly payment moves with the exchange rate. Borrowing in the currency you earn is usually the calmer choice.
Timeline and the notary
A cash purchase on the Dutch side usually closes in four to eight weeks after the purchase agreement. With a local mortgage, add the time for approval, valuation and the mortgage deed. We tell clients to agree a realistic financing deadline in the contract rather than an optimistic one.
The sequence on the Dutch side:
Sign the purchase agreement with a financing condition and a deadline. The deposit, usually 10%, goes into the notary's escrow account.
The bank values the property and issues its approval.
The notary prepares both the transfer deed and the mortgage deed, and the bank sends the loan funds to the notary.
At closing you sign both deeds; the notary registers them at the Land Registry (Kadaster).
Cash buyers are not spared the paperwork. The notary will ask where the money comes from, so have statements ready that trace the funds. For the rest of the steps, see how to buy property in Sint Maarten.
Our advice
Get a written lending indication before you shortlist properties.
Keep financing as a condition in the contract, with a deadline you can meet.
Budget the down payment, closing costs and six months of carrying costs before you commit.
Ask about taxes on both ends, here and at home. Our tax overview is a starting point, not a substitute for a local adviser.
Questions we get
Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Sint Maarten? Yes. Several banks on the Dutch side state that they lend to non-residents. Terms depend on the bank, the property and your profile.
How much do I need to put down? Plan for a larger down payment than at home. Around 30% to 40% is common for international buyers in the region, but it varies. Ask the lender.
Are loans in dollars or euros? Dutch-side loans are commonly in US dollars; French-side loans are in euros.
Does financing slow down closing? Yes. Add the time for approval, valuation and the mortgage deed to the usual four to eight weeks for a cash purchase.
If you want to know which properties a bank is likely to finance, talk to us before you make an offer.
Sources: St. Martin Sotheby's Realty, "6 Banks Offering Mortgages in Sint Maarten"; Enness Global, Caribbean mortgages for international buyers; Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (Caribbean guilder). Lending terms change; confirm with the bank.
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