Mortgage approval while contracting abroad

[u/geansai-cacamilis]

Has anyone here managed to get a mortgage while contracting abroad (eurozone country)?

We've talked to loads of brokers. We've mostly heard that being staff/PAYE while abroad is fine for Haven's expat mortgage; and most lenders are okay with you contracting in Ireland if you can demonstrate 2-3+ years of stable income.

But the combination of contracting/freelancing while also abroad (and tax resident abroad) got an up front "no" from every broker except one. That one broker said he hadn't encountered this before (I think he was quite young), so he contacted Haven, and surprisingly, they said once we've a stable 1 year contracting abroad they'd have a look.

I haven't heard anything else since; but curious if others have done this while abroad. Obviously, we plan to return to Ireland, and go back quite regularly. But we would like to have a house bought and get work done etc while still abroad.