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At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Mortgage brokerage: what it really costs to start

Starting a mortgage brokerage in Europe costs €3,000–€18,000 in 2026, with first income after about 20 weeks and earnings of up to €5,500 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

Arranging loans, paid by commission.

Mortgage brokerage in numbers
Money to start €3,000–€18,000 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 30–55 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 20 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €75 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €5,500 full time + A realistic ceiling for you running it. It can grow further, but only by hiring or adding units.
Competition medium Some competition: running it well is what decides.
Licence or qualification needed Count it in months, not weeks, and check the rules where you live.

This maximum is not a wall

The figure above is what this earns in the shape described: you, running it. Past that it keeps going, but by hiring people or adding units, not by you working more hours. That is a different job from the one you would be starting, and worth knowing before you start it.

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What nobody usually tells you

Commission of €1500-3000 per case and a client base that comes back every few years when they remortgage. It is regulated, the ramp is long, and your income moves with interest rates whether you like it or not.

The route, in five steps

  1. Get authorised or join a network — it is regulated everywhere
  2. Work under an established broker for a year first
  3. Estate agents and accountants send the best referrals
  4. Protection products pay again on the same client
  5. Budget nine months: completions are slow

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

licence and registrationcompliance and network feesCRMindemnity insurance

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Common questions

How much does it cost to start a mortgage brokerage?

Between €3,000 and €18,000 to begin. That covers licence and registration, compliance and network fees, CRM and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 20 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting a mortgage brokerage does the first income arrive?

Around 20 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €5,500 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 55 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start a mortgage brokerage?

Up to about €5,500 a month working full time. Of every €100 it takes, about €75 stays with you after running costs. Past that it can grow, but by hiring people or adding units rather than by working more hours.

Can you start a mortgage brokerage alongside a job?

Not really. This one produces nothing at reduced hours: it is full time or it is nothing. At 30 hours a week minimum, and 20 weeks before the first euro, there is no part-time version of it that pays.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is medium. Neither crowded nor protected: winning comes down to how well you run it rather than whether you can enter.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. Mortgage Professional (MPA) — How to become a mortgage advisor in the UK (CeMAP, earnings) licence · what it earns · time to first income
  2. UK Business Forums — Mortgage advisor advice (network splits and self-employment) share kept · what it earns

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

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