Your home in Florida, from the first call to the keys.

No. Any foreigner can invest in and buy property in Florida, either as an investment or as a vacation home.

No. The contracts and the deed can be signed entirely remotely, with complete security and simplicity.

No. Permanent Residence authorization has no connection to buying a house. Regardless of your immigration status, or even if you don't have a tourist visa, you can always buy a house as an investor. But to obtain the right to reside permanently, you will always need the guidance of a trusted attorney.

No. This is a BIG mistake many people make. At first, the best opportunity is always to buy as a tourist, because that way you can use your proof of income from Brazil. Once you get your Social Security Number or Green Card, banks will see you as a resident, and from then on you will need to prove at least 2 years of declared income, which will force you to spend about 3 years paying rent on average, a period in which you will throw away an amount very close to what you would have put down on a home of your own as a foreigner.

No. The down payment can be sent directly to the builder's account, or to the account of the Title Company, which will hold that money until it confirms everything is in order and only then release your funds to the seller. The bank financing your purchase automatically opens an account for your loan, and you will use that account to make your monthly payments.

For 5 years we have worked in partnership with a large brokerage firm that in turn works with several banks. Every transaction is made under a foreign exchange contract and never passes through third parties' hands: the money goes straight from your account to the account of the builder or of the Title Company here in the United States.

Prices vary by location and type of property. In the most sought-after areas, such as Winter Garden, homes can start at around $399,000, while luxury properties can run into the millions of dollars. Likewise, if you move 20 to 30 minutes away from Winter Garden, to Winter Haven for example, you can already find homes starting at $250,000.

In addition to the price of the property, you will need to pay closing costs, which include inspection fees, title insurance, recording fees, and taxes, among others, and usually range from 3% to 6% of the property's value.

The process usually takes 30 to 45 days, depending on factors such as financing, inspection, and finalizing the documents.

The builder usually asks for a 5% to 10% deposit and takes 2 to 8 months to complete construction. There are no installments during construction. Only when the house is ready do you pay the rest of the down payment. For example, if you secured a loan with 25% down and already paid a 10% deposit at the start, when you get the keys you will pay only another 15%.

In the US real estate market, there is no culture of "asking for a discount." What you can do when buying a nearly new home is submit an offer, which may or may not be accepted. But the market normally does not accept offers below the listed price. To buy at a good price, the best path is to buy pre-construction properties that offer builder discounts.

The title company is responsible for checking the history of the property's title, making sure there are no outstanding debts, and closing the transaction, transferring ownership to the buyer.

Townhomes or townhouses are what Brazilians know as a casa geminada: a house that shares the same structure with another house. These homes tend to be smaller and more practical, and usually all maintenance, such as lawn mowing and exterior painting, is handled by the HOA. Bungalows, on the other hand, are a type of Single-Family home, meaning a house on its own private lot that is not attached to other houses. The main feature of a bungalow is having the entrance at the front and the garage at the back. What we call a traditional Single-Family home is a house on its own private lot with the entrance and garage at the front, leaving room at the back for a yard, which often gets a pool and outdoor living improvements.

One of the biggest factors driving the appreciation of residential properties is proximity to highly rated schools. This happens mainly because, with public schools, what determines which schools your children will attend is precisely where the property is located. You cannot choose which school you want your children to attend. So it is natural that properties zoned for highly rated schools see more demand and greater appreciation.

No. Unlike in Brazil, here you do not need to pay off the house with the bank that originally financed it before you can sell it. It works like this: your buyer's bank pays the full price of the property to the Title Company. The Title Company in turn pays all the creditors, including the remaining balance owed to the bank that financed you, and the rest is passed on to you.

As of August 2024, the average time to sell is 22 days.

Currently about 25% of the property's value. This can range from 20% to 30% depending on each buyer's credit review.

Yes. Banks already have many programs for foreigners that allow your profile review and loan approval to be based on your income in Brazil, using pay stubs, your income tax return, or even your bank account activity.

Yes, but you probably won't meet the requirements of those programs. They are usually FHA (Federal Housing Administration) programs, a kind of federal housing agency that subsidizes loans so that middle-class workers can afford to buy a home for their families. In fact, there are even loans with 0% down, such as VA Loans, intended for military members. But for foreigners the minimum down payment today is 25%, and for those who have had an ITIN Number for more than a year there is an option to buy with 15% down. Down the road, when you are working, earning income, and filing taxes in the USA, you will start to have better chances of putting down 15%, 10%, and even 5%.

As of August 2024, interest rates for foreigners tend to be slightly higher than for residents, ranging from 5.5% to 8%, depending on the client's profile and the bank.

Your loan payment already includes the required homeowners insurance and the annual property tax. The only expense paid separately is the HOA (homeowners association) fee, which usually runs between $80 and $180.

Yes. Even as a tourist, there are bank financing programs such as DSCR that let you finance multiple properties at the same time, as long as you always have the 25% down payment for each property.

Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. In general, the borrower will always be the individual behind the entity, so there isn't really such a thing as financing as a company, unless you already have a track record of successful real estate investments in the US and can prove it to the bank. The good news is that the US allows you to finance as an individual and title the property to a company of your own (an LLC). Holding the property in a company's name has some advantages, such as adding an extra layer of legal protection and letting you use tools like DSCR loans and the tax break known as the 1031 Exchange, which allows you to use the money you would have paid in capital gains taxes to invest in another property instead. When it comes to filing and paying taxes, if the property belongs to your US company, this can keep you from becoming a tax resident at first, avoiding worldwide taxation of profits on you as an individual. It is worth a deeper case-by-case analysis to define the best strategy for each person, and I am here precisely to help you with that.

Yes, but indirectly: by referring competent partners with excellent service who can give you full support under my supervision.

Investing in already well-developed areas such as Winter Garden tends to bring slightly lower appreciation but greater liquidity. If you are looking for higher profits over a medium time frame (up to 3 years), I would recommend intermediate areas such as Clermont and Minneola. If you are thinking long term, the best option may be areas that are still emerging, such as St. Cloud, Davenport, and Winter Haven.

It depends. There is specific zoning: some cities allow homes only for owner occupancy or long-term rentals (minimum of 7 months), while other cities allow short-term rentals (Airbnb).

It depends. For a short-term rental, yes: every time someone checks in or out, the property needs to be inspected to make sure it was left in perfect condition. But if you buy a residential home and rent it long term, I don't see much need for a management company, since there will only be inspections when the tenant moves in and when they move out. Personally, I always buy new properties, because they usually come with a 5-year warranty. That way, any problem the tenant has is the builder's responsibility to fix, so I don't lose time or money.

It depends. If the house is in an area that does not allow short-term rentals (Airbnb), you could rent a room to someone, but for a minimum period of 7 months. Even so, it will also depend on the specific rules of your HOA. Some communities allow this practice and others restrict it.

Expenses include property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA fees (if applicable), and maintenance. Insurance and annual taxes are usually already included in your monthly loan payment. What is most commonly paid separately is the HOA fee, which averages between $80 and $200 per month.

For properties financed by a bank, the bank requires insurance. If you buy the house with cash, you could choose not to have insurance, which is strongly discouraged.