From China to Canada: The Surprising Truth About Foreign Buyers in U.S. Housing

Foreign buyers are making moves again — and not just a little. From April 2024 to March 2025, international clients snapped up $56 billion worth of U.S. homes — that’s a 33% jump from last year. Even more interesting? This is the first time foreign buyer activity has increased since 2017. In this episode, I break down: Who’s buying: China takes the top spot at 15% of all foreign buyers ($13.7B), followed by Canada, Mexico, India, and the U.K. Where they’re buying: Florida is still the undisputed champ, pulling in 21% of all foreign buyers, with California, Texas, New York, and Arizona rounding out the top five. How they’re paying: Nearly half of all foreign buyers paid cash, but if they were buying from abroad, that jumped to 56%. Why they’re buying: 47% are using these properties as vacation homes, rentals, or both — much higher than the 16% we see in the broader U.S. market. The price point: The median foreign buyer home price was $494,400, well above the national median of $408,500 — and a big reason is their focus on urban and resort areas. We’ll talk about what these numbers mean for local markets (especially here in Miami), what’s driving the comeback, and how smart agents and sellers can capitalize on this surge of international demand. If you ever want to buy or sell a property anywhere in the world, our team would be honored to help get you to your next destination. Until next time, stay curious, stay hungry, and as always… stay ALL IN! Amit Bhuta COMPASS ALL IN Miami Group Licensed Real Estate Agent (305) 439-3031 Mobile [email protected] ALLinMiami.com