by Association cites 33.2% increase in buyers from other countries buying residential properties in the US between April 2024 and March 2025
WASHINGTON — A recent report from the National Association of Realtors shows that foreign investment in existing homes in the U.S. remains strong.
The NAR reported in mid-July there was a 33.2% increase in buyers from other countries purchasing U.S. homes between April 2024 and March 2025, compared to the prior 12-month period. This represented some $56 billion in sales, or 2.5% of the $2.2 trillion in existing home sales during the period.
It also represented the purchase of 78,100 properties, or 1.9% of the 4.04 million in home sales during the period. The NAR said this was up 44% from the prior year and the first year-over-year increase since 2017. It said the median purchase price was $494,400, a record high. This was also up 4.1% from $475,000 in the previous 12-month period.
Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the NAR, said that international interest in U.S. real estate increased following a global economic recovery from several years of pandemic-related disruptions.
“However, elevated home prices and interest rates continue to dampen overall potential sales activity and remain well below pre-pandemic levels,” Yun added, noting that with a significant increase in housing inventory, Florida was the top destination for foreign home buyers, a trend over the past 15 years.
And because of high mortgage rates, he noted, a larger percentage of international buyers paid cash, totaling 47% compared with 28% of existing home buyers overall.
“And they were more likely to purchase homes priced in the upper end of the market,” Yun said. “Foreign buyers are drawn to investing in American real estate, in part, by our country’s strong protection of private property rights.”
The study also showed that foreign buyers who resided in the U.S. as recent immigrants or who were holding visas that allowed them to live in the U.S. purchased 43,700 homes, or 56% of the total, with a total dollar volume of $26.9 billion. Those who lived abroad purchased 34,400 homes, representing 44% of the total, with a total dollar volume of $29.1 billion.
The following states had the highest percentage of transactions among buyers from other countries:
+ Florida: 21%
+ California: 15%
+ Texas: 10%
+ New York: 7%
+ Arizona: 5%
And the Top 5 countries of origin including percent share of foreign purchase, number of existing homes purchased and total dollar volume is as follows:
+ China: 15%; 11,700; $13.7 billion
+ Canada: 14%; 10,900; $6.2 billion
+ Mexico: 8%; 6,200; $4.4 billion
+ India: 6%; 4,700; $2.2 billion
+ United Kingdom: 4%; 3,100; $2 billion
In addition, the report noted that 47% of the buyers purchased a property for use as a vacation home, rental or both compared to 16% among all existing home buyers. Also, 77% purchased a detached single family home or townhome compared with 90% of all existing home buyers.
