Cool Facts about Foreign Buyers

Some interesting facts about foreign nationals who buy property in the U.S....

The top five countries of origin for foreign buyers were:
-Canada, 17.6 percent of buyers
-United Kingdom, 10.5 percent
-Mexico, 9.8 percent
-India, 8.5 percent
-China, 5.4 percent

The percentage of buyers from Canada, the U.K., and China declined from the previous study, while purchasers from Mexico and India increased. Although most buyers were from North America, Europe and Asia, buyers from Latin America, Africa, and Oceania also purchased U.S. real estate.

Most Popular States
Foreign buyers were active in every state and the District of Columbia, with the most popular states being Florida, which accounted for 23.0 percent of all foreign purchases; California, 13.0 percent; Texas, 10.7 percent; and Arizona, 7.1 percent. These states are major gateways into the U.S. from other countries and also offer relatively mild climates.

California saw a notable rise in foreign interest as affordability conditions improved markedly in the state last year.

Property Types
The study shows 69 percent of international purchases were single-family homes, while condos accounted for 18 percent. Townhomes made up 8 percent of transactions, with commercial property at 4 percent. Nearly 46 percent of properties were in suburban areas and 25 percent in urban environments. The rest were evenly split between resorts and small towns or rural areas.