Miami is the number one US destination for international real estate buyers, and South Florida has deep, established communities of investors from Latin America, Brazil, Israel, and Canada. That demand has produced a mature financing path built specifically for buyers who do not have a US credit history or US tax returns.
The path is a business-purpose loan made to a US LLC rather than to you personally. Qualification is asset-based: the lender underwrites the property and your down payment, not a domestic credit score or US income documentation. The terms a foreign buyer receives are the same terms a US-based investor would get on the same asset.
What asset-based, business-purpose financing means
Because the loan is for investment, not for a primary residence you occupy, it sits outside the consumer process that normally requires US credit and income verification. The lender focuses on the value and quality of the property, the strength of your equity contribution, and, for rentals, the income the property can produce.
The borrower of record is a US LLC that you own. This is the standard structure for international investors and it is what makes the no-US-credit, no-US-income approach possible.
What you can buy in South Florida
- Condos, which are the most common foreign-buyer purchase in Miami
- Single family homes held as investment or rental property
- Small multifamily buildings
Products to match the strategy
- Bridge financing when speed matters and you need to close quickly
- DSCR financing for buy-and-hold rentals, qualified on the property's rental income
- Fix and flip financing for a purchase plus renovation before resale
The core range and timeline
The core loan range for international buyers in this market runs roughly $1M to $5M. A clean deal moves from term sheet in 24 to 48 hours after submission to closing in about two weeks.
The same terms apply to you as to a US investor on the same property. Being a foreign national is not a penalty in this structure; it simply changes the documentation path, not the pricing of a comparable asset.
Steps to close
- Form a US LLC and obtain an EIN for it
- Open a US bank account in the LLC's name
- Submit the deal: property details, purchase price, and your down payment
- Receive a term sheet, typically within 24 to 48 hours
- Close in about two weeks
One nuance specific to condos
Condo financing carries a building-approval step that single family and small multifamily do not. Lenders distinguish between warrantable buildings, which meet standard guidelines on owner-occupancy ratios, reserves, litigation status, and concentration, and non-warrantable buildings, which fall outside those guidelines.
A non-warrantable building is still financeable, but it is reviewed on its own merits and the terms can differ. Because many Miami condos are newer or investor-heavy, it is worth confirming the building's status early so the approval matches your timeline.