What a mortgage broker does
What a credit intermediary adds compared with going bank by bank, and how we work.
In four points
- Presents the same file to several lenders at once
- Knows which criteria each one applies before submitting
- Negotiates rate, term, fees and tied products
- Charges the applicant no fees: it is paid by the lender
What it does exactly
A mortgage broker takes your deal to the market instead of you presenting it lender by lender. It knows the criteria each one applies, builds the file in their format and negotiates the terms on your behalf.
How we work
One conversation with you; we absorb the rest of the noise.
- 1
Reading the case
A specialist reviews your deal and tells you what is realistic before anything moves.
- 2
Building the file
We order the paperwork to each lender's criteria, not to a generic template.
- 3
Submitting in parallel
Your case reaches every lender that fits at the same time, rather than one after another.
- 4
Comparing and closing
We put the offers side by side, negotiate the best one and stay with you until signing.
Three ways to reach the bank
The same deal changes a great deal depending on who presents it.
Bank by bank
- You build the paperwork in the first lender's format.
- You submit, you wait, and you have nothing to compare the answer with.
- If it is a no, you start again at the next one.
Every application is on record. A run of enquiries in a short window does not help your case.
With a broker
- Retail banks
Traditional mortgage
- Private banking
Bespoke deals
- Debt funds
Alternative financing
- Specialist lenders
Profiles a standard bank will not look at
The answers arrive together, so they can be laid side by side and negotiated with that on the table.
There is a third route: the online comparator. It is useful for a first sense of the market, but it compares published products, not the offer a lender would make to your specific profile.
What we need from you
Very little to start, and everything else only if you decide to move forward. There is no negotiating without paperwork, but we do not ask for it early either.
- Amount and type of deal you want to finance
- Employment situation and approximate income
- Down payment available and where it comes from
- Authorisation to present your case to lenders
Lending Criteria & Requirements
What a bank looks at before approving, explained without small print.
Applicant profile
The bank assesses your ability to repay before it looks at the property. These are the factors that weigh most.
- Recurring income and its stability
- Debt-to-net-income ratio
- Credit history and absence of defaults
- Job tenure or self-employed track record
The deal
The asset and its valuation determine how much can be financed.
- Official property valuation
- Down payment and source of funds
- Intended use: home, investment or rental
- Registry status and charges on the asset
Usual documentation
What you will be asked for once you decide to move forward. We prepare and submit it for you.
- ID/NIE and employment history
- Recent payslips or tax returns
- Recent bank statements
- Property title extract and deposit contract
Non-residents
If you do not reside in Spain, financing usually covers a lower percentage and additional documentation from your home country is required. We handle it with the institutions that work this profile.
Non-Resident MortgagesMistakes when choosing an intermediary
Three things worth settling before handing your paperwork to anyone.
- Not asking who pays the intermediary: the answer explains which lender you will be steered towards.
- Handing over documents before knowing which lenders the case will be submitted to.
- Letting several lenders be approached at random instead of submitting where the case fits.
- Changing job or employment status midway through the review, exactly when stability is being weighed.
- Taking out consumer credit shortly before: it shows up on your record and shifts the debt-to-income ratio.
- Putting up a down payment whose source cannot be evidenced, which anti-money-laundering rules require.
Frequently asked
What does Arkos Finance charge to intermediate?
Nothing to the applicant. We are paid by the lender the deal closes with, and that does not change the terms you are offered.
Can an existing mortgage be renegotiated?
In a purchase, what gets negotiated is the offer before signing. Once signed, any change is a separate transaction with its own costs.
What if no lender approves my case?
We tell you the specific reason and, where it can be fixed, what would have to change to submit it again. There is no cost for trying.
Does being on a defaulters' register rule me out?
Not automatically, but it weighs heavily. Say so from the start: it changes which lenders the case should go to.
How long does a full review take?
The feasibility pre-study takes 24–48 working hours. The lender's formal review depends on how quickly the paperwork is completed.
Can I get financing as a self-employed worker?
Yes. What is assessed is your track record and the regularity of your income, with recent tax returns as the main reference.
About this page
This content is informational and is neither advice nor an offer of financing. Final terms are set by the lender after reviewing your file.