The financial case
U.S. property gives international investors three things at once: an income-producing asset, exposure to the U.S. dollar, and a legal system where ownership is recorded publicly and insured by title companies. For families whose savings are concentrated in one country, one currency or one banking system, that combination is the point.
In Florida, the appeal is concrete. Most international buyers in the state buy as an investment rental, a vacation home or both: 69% in the Florida Realtors 2026 survey. Demand comes from both sides of the rental market, with seasonal visitors and a growing year-round population.
The political and legal case
Buyers who have lived through currency controls, sudden tax changes or bank failures at home value predictability. In the U.S., property rights are protected by state law and federal courts, public records show every recorded sale and lien, and closings run through regulated title companies or attorneys with escrow accounts.
Most foreign nationals can buy Florida property in the same way a U.S. citizen does. One important exception: since 2023, Florida law restricts some purchases by people domiciled in certain “countries of concern” (including China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba), and every buyer signs an affidavit at closing. If this could apply to you, speak with a Florida real estate attorney first.
The tax picture in one minute
- FIRPTA: when a foreign person sells U.S. real estate, the buyer generally withholds 15% of the gross sale price for the IRS. The withholding is a prepayment, and the actual tax is settled on the seller’s U.S. return.
- Rental income: by default, 30% of gross rent is withheld. Most investors elect to be taxed on net income instead, which lets them deduct expenses and depreciation and file a U.S. nonresident return each year (an ITIN is needed).
- Estate tax: nonresidents who aren’t U.S. citizens get only a $60,000 U.S. estate tax exemption on U.S. assets unless a treaty improves it. Ownership structure matters.
- Florida: no state personal income tax. Property taxes and insurance are the main carrying costs, and both should be budgeted before you buy.
Your home country decides how that U.S. income is taxed again at home, and whether a tax treaty helps. The country guides below cover the main points for each.
Why Florida
Florida took 20% of all international purchases in the 2026 Florida Realtors survey, and the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach metro accounted for 47% of the state’s international purchases. Direct flights to Latin America and Europe, no state personal income tax, and a large rental market keep it at the top of the list.
Next steps
Irina helps international investors choose the right Florida market and property, coordinates with your tax advisor and lawyer, and manages the purchase remotely if you can’t travel. Read the buying guide for foreign nationals, see financing options for non-residents, or run the rental numbers.
Not legal or tax advice. This article is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Tax rules, treaties and exchange rates change. Before you buy, talk to a cross-border tax advisor and a lawyer licensed in the relevant countries. Irina Manets is a licensed real estate sales associate with CENTURY 21 Stein Posner and does not provide tax or legal advice.