Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PROFILE OF INTERNATIONAL
TRANSACTIONS IN U.S.
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
2018
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
2
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
President
Elizabeth J. Mendenhall , ABR, ABRM, CIPS,
CRB, GRI, ePRO, LCI, PMN
President-Elect
John S. Smaby
Treasurer
Thomas A. Riley, CCIM, CRB
Immediate Past-President
Bill E. Brown
Vice President
Colleen A. Badagliacco, CRB, CRS, ePro,
GRI, SRES
Vice President
Kenny Parcell, ABR, BB, CRS
CONTENTS
1 | Introduction…………………………….…………………………………………………………… 5
2 | Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
3 | Economic Conditions…………………………………………………………………………… 11
4 | International Buyers………..………………………………………………………………….. 15
5 | International Sellers…………………………………………………………………………… 29
6 | Client Interactions……………………………………………………………………………… 31
8 | Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………… 39
1 Introduction
5
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
INTRODUCTION
LAWRENCE YUN, PhD International clients comprise one niche of the real estate market. Since 2009,
Chief Economist & Sr. Vice the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has conducted an annual survey
President of REALTORS® to measure the size of U.S. residential real estate sales to
international clients, to provide a profile of the origin, destination, and buying
GEORGE RATIU preferences of international clients, and to identify the challenges and
Director, Housing & opportunities faced by REALTORS® in serving foreign clients.
Commercial Research
The 2018 Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate
GAY CORORATON presents information regarding REALTOR® transactions with international
Research Economist clients who purchased and sold U.S. residential property during the 12-month
period of April 2017–March 2018. The report also provides some information
on U.S. clients seeking to purchase property abroad.
This survey was sent to 150,000 randomly selected REALTORS® and to 7,731
REALTORS® who responded to the 2016 and 2017 surveys. The online survey
was conducted from April 10–April 19, 2018. A total of 10,303 REALTORS®
responded to the 2018 survey, 1,370 of which reported an international
residential foreign buyer.1 Information about the characteristics of
international clients is based on the most recent closed transactions of the
respondents during the 12-month period.
Questions about this report2 may be directed to the Research Group of the
National Association of REALTORS® at Data@realtors.org.
1 The number of respondents to each question varies because of non-response or because the question is not
relevant to the respondent and she is not asked to respond to the question.
2 The team acknowledges Paul Bishop, Vice-President, Research; Jessica Lautz, Director, Demographics and
Behavioral Insights; Lisa Herceg, Director, Marketing Research; Cindy Fauth, Director, Global Marketing and Business
Development; Meredith Dunn, Communications Manager; Amanda Riggs, Survey Analyst; and Brandi Snowden,
Survey Analyst, for their comments to the questionnaire and the report and its dissemination.
2 Summary
7
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
SUMMARY
• The average price of properties purchased by the mix of foreign buyers was
$454,400, a decrease from $536,900 during the previous period. The median
price of properties purchased by foreign buyers was $292,400, a decrease
from $302,300 during the previous period. Foreign buyers continued to
purchase properties at the higher price point compared with all existing home
buyers: among existing home buyers, the average price was $290,600 and the
median price was $249,300.3
• All dollar volume of purchases from the top five countries declined
compared to the levels in the previous 12-month period, with significant
decrease in purchases of buyers from Canada, Mexico, and the United
Kingdom buyers. The major foreign buyers were China ($30.4B), Canada
($10.5B), the United Kingdom ($7.3B), India ($7.2B), and Mexico ($4.2B).
3 The mean or the average price is used to calculate the total dollar volume of purchases and can be used as a
measure of central tendency. It is found by summing the responses and dividing by the number of responses. The
average price is used to compute the dollar volume of transactions. The median is the middle value of the
distribution. Half of all purchases fall below this value and half are above this value. Because home values tend to
skew to the higher end, the median is often a better reflection of typical market activity.
SUMMARY
• Although foreigners purchased property period. This may be associated with the increasing
nationwide, five states accounted for 53 percent of numbers of baby boomers who are retiring and who
total residential property purchases: Florida (19 may be planning to retire abroad.
percent), California (14 percent), Texas (9 percent),
New York (five percent), and Arizona (five percent).
Compared to their shares in the previous 12-month
period, the shares of Florida and Texas declined
while the shares of California, New York, and
Arizona increased.
SUMMARY
REALTOR® Interaction with International Clients • Four percent of respondents reported holding a
Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS)
• Twenty-three percent of REALTOR® respondents designation.
reported working with international clients, a
decrease from 29 percent in the previous 12-month
period.
3 Economic Conditions
11
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
U.S. Home Prices and Supply recovery in oil prices which rose to $63/barrel in
March 2018 from a low of $30/barrel in January
Amid short supply, sustained job growth, and 2016. The Chinese yuan strengthened under tighter
mortgage rates that are still at historically low levels regulations for dollar outflows that the Chinese
(below five percent), U.S. home prices continued to government began enforcing in 2015. However, the
increase, with the median price of existing homes U.S. dollar slightly strengthened against the British
sold up by six percent in March 2018 compared to pound, making U.S. home prices more expensive
the level one year ago. Home prices have been when measured in pounds.
bolstered by lack of supply, with the inventory of
U.S. HOME PRICE GROWTH
homes for sale at about three months of the current MEASURED IN LOCAL CURRENCY IN
sales’ pace, well below the normal level of six MARCH 2018 FROM ONE YEAR AGO
months.
MEDIAN HOME PRICES AND 8.0%
6.3%
MONTH'S SUPPLY OF EXISTING 5.5%
6.0%
HOMES
$300,000 14.0 4.0% 3.9%
$250,400 3.0% 2.9%
2.4%
$250,000 12.0
2.0% 1.7%
1.4%
10.0
$200,000
0.0%
8.0 0.5%
$150,000 -0.3%
6.0 -2.0%
$100,000 -1.8%
4.0 -4.0% -2.8% -3.2%
$50,000 3.4 2.0 -3.9% -4.2%
-6.0% -4.7%
$0 0.0
FEB/2010
FEB/2017
MAR/2007
DEC/2008
SEP/2010
APR/2011
JUN/2012
AUG/2013
MAR/2014
DEC/2015
SEP/2017
JAN/2006
AUG/2006
MAY/2008
JAN/2013
MAY/2015
OCT/2007
OCT/2014
JUL/2009
JUL/2016
NOV/2011
A weaker dollar makes U.S. home prices less Compared with Canada, a country that attracts
expensive when measured in the foreign buyer’s foreign buyers like the United States, Canadian
local currency while a stronger dollar makes U.S. home prices increased at an average of ten percent
prices more expensive. The U.S. dollar weakened on a year-on-year basis during April 2017–March
against currencies such as the Chinese yuan (0.3 2018. The pace of appreciation has slowed to five
percent), Canadian dollar (1.8 percent), the Mexican percent in March 2018, but U.S. home prices are still
peso (3.2 percent), the Indian rupee (4.2 percent), less expensive compared to Canadian home prices
and the Brazilian real (4.7 percent). in some metro areas.
The Canadian dollar and most Latin American For example, home prices in Greater Vancouver are
currencies strengthened partly because of the on average about twice ($838,166) the typical home
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
House Prices in Canada and the United States in U.S. Dollars as of March 2018
Canada $504,446 United States $241,700
Greater Vancouver $838,166 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA $920,000
Fraser Valley (British Columbia) $627,851 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue,WA $471,700
Victoria (British Columbia) $509,240 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $380,400
Oakville-Milton $552,772 Salt Lake City, UT $315,100
Greater Toronto $588,263 Boulder Colorado $546,400
Ottawa $291,348 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI $236,800
Greater Montreal $261,502 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $158,900
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $448,400
New York-Newark-Jersey City,NY-NJ-PA $395,900
Austin-Round Rock, TX $293,200
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA $198,900
Wash-Arlington-Alxndria, DC-VA-MD-WV $397,100
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $250,000
Miami-Ft Lauderdale-W Palm Beach, FL $335,000
Source of data: The Canadian Real Estate Association, National Association of REALTORS®
Canadian average home prices are as of March 2018 and prices were convered to U.S. dollars at the rate of C$ $1.2933 to 1 US$.
See http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/
U.S. median price of existing-homes sold in 2017 Q4.
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Economic Growth in 2017–2019 Canada’s economy rose three percent, while Latin
America and the Caribbean region climbed out of a
In the United States, economic growth strengthened recession, as oil prices started climbing back after
to 2.3 percent. During the period April 2017–March OPEC countries agreed to cut back oil production in
2018, the economy generated 2.3 million jobs, while August 2016, to $63/barrel in March 2018 from
the unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent. Strong nearly $30/barrel in January 2016. In the Eurozone
job growth, along with low interest rates, boosted area, the recovery that began in 2015 stayed on
home buying among domestic residents who course under a low interest environment. Economic
competed against foreign buyers for the limited growth picked up in the euro area under
supply of homes on the market. accommodative monetary policy. However, growth
continued to taper in the United Kingdom in the
Rising economic growth improves the spending wake of its decision to exit from the European
capability of foreign buyers to purchase a property. Union by 2019. Global economic growth rose to 3.8
Economic growth was sustained or accelerated in percent in 2017, and growth is expected to be
countries where most U.S. foreign buyers sustained in 2018 and 2019 at an annual pace of 3.9
originated. China and India were the fastest growing percent.4
economies in 2017. China’s economy expanded by
6.9 percent in 2017, while India’s economy rose by 4 The unemployment rate further dipped to 3.9 percent in April 2018
6.7 percent.
GDP GROWTH RATES
9.0
8.0
6.9
6.7
7.0
6.0
5.0
3.8
4.0
3.0
2.3
2.3
3.0
2.0
1.8
1.3
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
CANADA CHINA INDIA MEXICO UNITED EURO AREA LATIN UNITED WORLD
KINGDOM AMERICA STATES
AND THE
CARIBBEAN
2015 2016 2017 2018 Projection 2019 Projection
4 International Buyers
15
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Volume of Foreign Buyers Purchasing Residential the United States (non-resident) accounted for a
Property smaller share of all foreign buyers, at 39 percent,
compared to 42 percent during the previous 12-
Amid short supply and higher U.S. home prices, month period. Monthly data from NAR’s REALTORS®
foreign buyer purchases of U.S. existing homes Confidence Index Survey6 indicates that during the
during April 2017–March 2018 decreased to $121 12-month period of April 2017‒March 2018,
billion, a 21 percent decline from the level in the purchases from non-resident foreign buyers
previous 12-month period. Resident foreign buyers accounted for 1.9 percent of existing home sales, a
purchased $67.9 billion of U.S. existing home sales decline from the 2.2 percent share of the previous
while non-resident foreign buyers purchased $53.0 12-month period.
billion, both below the levels during the previous
12-month period. Foreign buyers accounted for The number of foreign buyers and the number of
eight percent of the $1.6 trillion existing home sales properties purchased are used interchangeably
during the same period, a decrease from the 10 under the assumption that one foreign buyer
percent share during the previous 12-month period. purchased one property.
$67.9
161.9
$53.0
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Foreign buyers generally purchased properties at Asian Indian buyers also declined to $7.2 billion
the lower price range compared to the previous 12- (-eight percent). Canadian, Mexican, and U.K. buyers
month period. On average, foreign buyers paid typically purchase properties at the lower price
$454,400, 15 percent less than the level during the range so they were likely more affected by rising
previous period. The median price among foreign prices than Chinese and Indian buyers who typically
buyers was $292,400, three percent less than the purchase more expensive properties.
level during the previous period.
Dollar Volume of Sales to Foreign Buyers from Top Five Countries
AVERAGE AND MEDIAN PURCHASE (in Billion Dollars)
PRICE OF FOREIGN BUYERS
(USD'000) United All Foreign Share of
Canada China India Mexico Kingdom Buyers Top 5
$600.0 2010 $17.1 $11.2 $5.0 $6.5 $12.1 $65.9 79%
2011 $13.0 $7.0 $5.1 $4.2 $6.5 $66.4 54%
$500.0 2012 $15.9 $12.0 $5.2 $6.5 $4.4 $82.5 53%
$454.4
2013 $11.8 $12.8 $3.9 $3.6 $4.2 $68.2 53%
$400.0 2014 $13.8 $22.0 $5.8 $4.5 $5.8 $92.2 56%
2015 $11.4 $28.1 $7.9 $4.9 $3.9 $103.9 54%
$300.0 2016 $8.9 $27.3 $6.1 $4.8 $5.5 $102.6 51%
$292.4 2017 $19.0 $31.7 $7.8 $9.3 $9.5 $153.0 51%
$200.0 2018 $10.5 $30.4 $7.2 $4.2 $7.3 $121.0 49%
China includes buyers from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
$100.0 Estimates from 2010 thru 2015 include some commercial transactions.
From 2016, the estimates include only residential transactions.
$0.0 Source: NAR
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Average Median
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Origin of International Buyers SHARE OF NON-RESIDENT (TYPE A)
FOREIGN BUYERS AMONG MAJOR
Asia and Oceania accounted for 32 percent of FOREIGN BUYERS
foreign buyers of residential properties, followed by
Latin America and the Caribbean at 20 percent,
72%
Europe at 15 percent, North America (Canada) at 10
percent, and Africa at two percent.7 Twenty percent
of foreign buyers came from a region that the
survey respondent could not identify.
41%
37%
REGION OF ORIGIN
26%
32%
13%
20%
20%
15%
KINGDOM
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
20%
15%
15%
10%
10%
8%
5%
5%
3%
3%
0%
CHINA* CANADA MEXICO INDIA UNITED BRAZIL
KINGDOM
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Destinations of International Buyers California was the major destination among Chinese
and Asian Indian buyers. Florida was the major
Florida remained the major destination (19 destination among Canadian and U.K. buyers. Texas
percent), although it accounted for a smaller was the top destination among Mexican buyers. Job
fraction of international clients, given the decline in and educational opportunities, familial presence,
Latin American and Canadian buyers. California was cultural similarities, and geographical proximity are
the second major destination, and its share factors foreign buyers likely consider when deciding
increased (14 percent) because of sustained where to purchase U.S. residential property
demand from Chinese and Asian Indian buyers.
Texas was the third largest destination, although its
share also decreased (nine percent), with fewer
foreign buyers from Latin America. The share of
foreign buyers going to Arizona (five percent) and
New York (five percent) increased.
35%
30%
25%
19%
20%
14%
15%
9%
10%
5%
5%
4%
4%
3%
5%
3%
3%
3%
3%
0%
FL CA TX AZ NY GA NJ OH VA NC IL MI
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Major Destinations of Top Five Foreign Buyers
Canada China India Mexico United Kingdom
Florida 39% California 38% California 15% Texas 38% Florida 20%
Arizona 14% Texas 7% Ohio 7% Arizona 16% California 19%
California 9% Florida 6% Connecticut 6% California 10% Ohio 11%
New York 5% Washington 5% Texas 6% Florida 6% Illinois 9%
Nevada 5% Georgia 4% Georgia 5% Illinois 6% Arizona 7%
Washington 4% New York 4% New Jersey 5% Indiana 3% Texas 5%
Michigan 3% New Jersey 4% North Carolina 5% North Carolina 3% South Carolina 4%
Texas 3% Illinois 3% Massachusetts 4% New York 4%
Michigan 3% Arizona 4% Virginia 4%
North Carolina 3% Michigan 4% Louisiana 4%
Pennsylvania 4% Michigan 3%
Washington 4% Connecticut 3%
Idaho 3% New Jersey 3%
Illinois 3%
New York 3%
Virginia 3%
Nevada 3%
Colorado 3%
Prices
Among foreign buyers, the median price was
On average, foreign buyers paid $454,400, which is
$292,400, which is higher than the median price of
higher than the average price of all existing homes
$249,300 for all existing homes sold in the United
sold in the United States at $290,600.9
States in the same period.10
$292,400
$277,380
$477,462
$454,400
$249,300
$235,792
$223,058
$290,600
$277,733
$266,683
9 The mean or the average price is used to calculate the dollar volume of 10 Themedian is the middle value of the distribution. Half of all purchases fall
purchases and can be used as a measure of central tendency. It is found by below this value and half are above this value. Because home values tend to
summing the responses and dividing by the number of responses. skew to the higher end, the median is often a better reflection of typical
market activity.
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Nine percent of foreign buyers paid $1M and over Among non-resident foreign buyers, the median
for their property, compared to less than three price was $294,900, which is higher than the
percent in this price range among all U.S. existing median price among resident foreign buyers of
single-family home buyers. $290,300.
MEDIAN PURCHASE PRICE OF
DISTRIBUTION OF FOREIGN BUYERS
FOREIGN BUYERS
R E S I D E N T I AL P R O P E R T Y P U R C H A S E
(USD '000)
PRICES
35%
$294.9
$292.4
$290.3
22%
19%
11%
8%
5%
1%
BUYERS
$454.4
$419.6
$806,300
$752,600
$547,700
$439,100
$412,800
$396,200
$383,900
$292,000
$208,800
$189,100
NON-RESIDENT RESIDENT (TYPE B) ALL FOREIGN CHINA INDIA UNITED CANADA MEXICO
(TYPE A) BUYERS KINGDOM
2015 2016 2017 2018 Mean Median
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
72%
existing home buyers. Forty-seven percent of
62%
reported transactions were all-cash sales, compared
to 21 percent for all existing home purchases.11
47%
46%
FOREIGN BUYER FINANCING
30%
47%
46%
21%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
3%
3%
2%
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
72%
United States for residential, investment, and
vacation purposes. Fifty-two percent of foreign
buyers purchased the property as a primary
52%
residence. By type of foreign buyer, more non-
resident foreign buyers purchased a property for
vacation use and/or a rental unit than did resident
foreign buyers.
26%
25%
22%
INTENDED USE OF FOREIGN BUYER
16%
16%
12%
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
10%
9%
52%
5%
5%
4%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
16%
9%
5%
3%
3%
9%
7%
23%
56%
2016 2017 2018 45%
16%
60%
Most Canadian buyers, who are more likely to be 86%
15%
non-resident foreign buyers, purchased the property
for use as a vacation home and/or residential rental. 11% 10%
On the other hand, more than half of Indian,
Mexican, and U.K. buyers, who are predominantly 8% 17%
40%
resident foreign buyers, purchased the residential 27%
12%
property for use as a primary residence. The 17%
intended use of the property among Chinese buyers 5% 7%
was more mixed, although nearly half of purchases CANADA CHINA INDIA MEXICO UNITED
were for primary residential use. Among the top five KINGDOM
buyers, Chinese buyers were most likely to purchase Vacation Home Residential Rental
Vacation and Rental Primary Residence
the property for the use of a student. Student Use Other
Don't Know
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
50%
buyers purchased residential property in a small
town/rural area, while only five percent of resident
foreign buyers purchased in a resort area. The share
30%
of buyers purchasing in a resort area has declined
since 2009, in part reflecting the mix of buyers that
are decreasingly from Canada and the United
Kingdom.
9%
6%
5%
T YPE O F A REA W HE RE FO RE I G N
BUYE RS PURC HA SE D PRO PE RT Y
CENTRAL SUBURBAN SMALL RURAL AREA RESORT
CITY/URBAN AREA TOWN AREA
AREA
15%
Non-resident (Type A) Resident (Type B) All Foreign Buyers
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
100%
8%
90% 8%
22% 17%
14%
14%
13%
80% 9%
4%
7%
3%
8% 10% 13%
70%
60%
50%
87%
40%
68% 69% 72%
66%
30%
20%
10%
2016 2017 2018
0%
R E S I D E N T I AL P R O P E R T Y P U R C H A S E S CANADA CHINA INDIA MEXICO UNITED
KINGDOM
BY TYPE OF FOREIGN BUYER
Detached Single-family Townhouse
Condominium Residential Land
66%
Other
14%
13%
4%
3%
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
Factors Affecting the Decision to Purchasing U.S. AMONG REALTORS® WITH INTERNATIONAL
Property CLIENTS, PERCENT SHARE WHO HAD ANY
CLIENT WHO DECIDED NOT TO PURCHASE
As is the case with potential domestic buyers, not all U.S. PROPERTY
international clients will complete the purchase.
A higher fraction of respondents reported they had
a client who decided not to purchase property.
About a third of respondents reported that their
42%
client viewed U.S. home prices to be less expensive
than prices in the home country, a view unchanged
from last year.
20%
COST OF PROPERTY
15%
IMMIGRATION LAWS
7%
PROPERTY TAXES
5%
CONDO/MAINTENANCE FEES
4%
EXCHANGE RATE
4%
INSURANCE COSTS
1%
DON'T KNOW
9%
5 International Sellers
29
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
INTERNATIONAL SELLERS
REALTORS® reported that international clients who The properties sold by international clients were
had owned U.S. properties chose to dispose of them mostly located in Florida, California, Texas, Arizona,
during the covered period. International clients who and New York. Other major locations of property
sold their U.S. residential property mostly came sold by international sellers were Michigan, New
from Canada, China, Mexico, India, and the United Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Virginia, Ohio,
Kingdom—the same countries that top the list of South Carolina, Utah, and Nevada. Not surprisingly,
foreign buyers of residential property. Other major the list of states where foreign buyers sold their U.S.
sellers of U.S. residential property were from Israel, property is very similar to the list of states where
Venezuela, Germany, Colombia, Japan, France, and foreign buyers typically purchase U.S. residential
Brazil. property.
M A J O R I N T E R N A T I O NA L C L I E N T S W H O S O L D U . S . R E S I D E N T I A L P R O P E R T Y
20%
12%
8%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
CANADA CHINA MEXICO INDIA UNITED ISRAEL VENEZUELA GERMANY
KINGDOM
2016 2017 2018
L O C A T I O N O F M A J O R I N T E R N AT I O N AL C L I E N T S W H O S O L D U . S .
R E S I D E N T I AL P R O P E R T Y
27%
14%
10%
6%
4%
3%
3%
3%
FL CA TX AZ NY MI NJ IL
2016 2017 2018
6 Client Interaction
31
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
CLIENT INTERACTIONS
Transactions with International Clients Survey respondents had mixed international market
share experiences. About a third of respondents
Twenty-three percent of respondents reported they reported an increase in the share of international
worked with an international client during the 12- clients to their total business compared to one year
month period of April 2017‒March 2018, a decline ago. Compared to their business five years ago,
from 29 percent during the previous 12-month forty-three percent reported an increase in the
period. share of international clients to their total business.
HOW BUSINESS WITH
SHARE OF RESPONDENTS WHO HAD AN I N T E R N AT I O N AL R E S I D E N T I AL
INTERNATIONAL CLIENT BUYERS HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST
YEAR
54%
35%
31%
29%
33%
28% 28% 28%
27% 27%
23%
13%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 INCREASED STAYED ABOUT DECREASED
THE SAME
42%
10%
29%
15%
19%
CLIENT INTERACTIONS
25%
Other 8%
5%
Aggregators 41%
Other 5%
Don’t know 8%
CLIENT INTERACTIONS
10%
2.58%
1.87%
29%
0.99%
0.39%
19%
4%
93%
PROPERTY OUTSIDE THE U.S.
Approximately seven percent of responding
REALTORS® reported that they had a client who was
seeking to purchase property in another country. COULD NOT REFER THE CLIENT
4%
TO ANYONE
1%
States, two percent helped the client directly, and DIRECTLY
1%
COUNTRY
they had a client interested in purchasing property
abroad but could not refer the client to anyone to REFERRAL TO A BUSINESS
CONTACT IN THE U.S. WHO
assist in the purchase process.12
1%
WORKS WITH INTERNATIONAL
CLIENTS
10%
property. Of these, 55 percent were looking for
detached single-family homes.
3%
3%
3%
3%
MEXICO CANADA COSTA FRANCE CHINA
RICA
36%
5%
Most clients were interested in using the property WHY U.S. CLIENTS* SEARCHED FOR
for vacation, residential rental, or both. Twenty- R E S I D E N T I AL P R O P E R T Y A B R O A D
seven percent of U.S. clients who were looking for
property abroad were seeking a property for
primary residence abroad, an increase from the 21
percent share in the previous 12-month period. This
may be associated with the retirement of baby
boomers. The U.S. Census defines baby boomers as
those born between 1946‒1964. The oldest baby
boomer turned 65 years old in 2011, while the
27%
25%
youngest boomer will turn 65 in 2029. There were
about 42 million persons 65 years old and above in
19%
17%
2011 and this number will increase to 73 million by
2029.13
10%
T Y P E O F R E S I D E N T I AL P R O P E R T Y U . S .
C L I E N T S * W E R E I N T E R E S T ED I N
1%
1%
PURCHASING ABROAD
55%
18%
11%
5%
2%
13The U.S. Census Bureau defines baby boomers as those born between mid-
1946 and mid-1964. See https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p25-
1141.pdf.
8 Appendices
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018
APPENDICES
Estimation of U.S. Residential Property Purchases of International Buyers During April 2017–March 2018
Data Inputs
Line 1 Residential property purchases of non-resident foreigners (Type A), as a share of existing home sales 1.9%
Line 2 Share of non-resident foreign buyers to foreign buyers (Type A) 39%
Line 3 Share of non-resident foreign buyers to foreign buyers (Type B) 61%
Line 4 Existing home sales, April 2017-March 2018 5,488,000
Line 5 Average price, existing homes sales $290,600
Line 6 Average price of residential property purchases of non-resident (Type A) foreign buyers $505,700
Line 7 Average price of residential property purchases of resident (Type B) foreign buyers $419,600
To get Line 9, get the ratio of Line 3 to Line 2, and multiply this ratio by Line 8
Line 9 Number of residential property purchases of resident foreign buyers (Type B) 161,933
Line 14 Share of residential property purchases of foreign buyers to existing home sales 5%
Line 15 Share of dollar volume of residential property purchases of foreign buyers to existing home sales dollar volume 8%
Notes on Data Inputs: U.S. Existing Home Sales: Sales for the 12 months
ending March 2018 are obtained by summing the
Percent of Existing Home Sales to non-resident monthly sales from April 2017–March 2018.
foreigners (Type A): The fraction of U.S. existing
home sales to non-resident foreign buyers (Type A) Average Price, Existing Home Sales: Since total
is based on survey data from the monthly market value is being computed, the average rather
REALTORS® Confidence Index. than median price is used. The average is computed
as the average of the monthly mean price of U.S.
Split between non-resident (Type A) and resident existing home sales.
(Type B) foreign buyers among all foreign residential
property buyers: The split between Type A and Type Average Prices, International Sales: The average
B foreign buyers is computed from the survey based prices for residential property purchased by non-
on information about the most recent foreign resident (Type A) and resident (Type B) foreign
buyers from respondents. buyers are estimated from the survey based on
information about the most recent foreign buyers of
the respondents.
APPENDICES
Appendix II. About NAR’s Commercial and Global NAR maintains formal partnerships with 89 foreign
Services Group real estate associations in 68 countries. These
relationships are formed to advance the interests of
The Commercial & Global Services Group of the REALTORS® worldwide, to uphold the highest
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® plays an standards of commercial practice, and to facilitate
integral role in opening doors for REALTORS® to international business arrangements in strategic
compete in the global market place. By opening markets for REALTORS® and non-U.S. real estate
markets for business and keeping members practitioners. Additionally, the Certified
informed of the latest developments occurring International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designation
around the world, the Commercial & Global Services offers specialized education and services to real
Group gives REALTORS® the tools they need to estate professionals who aim to profit in the global
succeed in the global market. market. For more information and resources about
working with international clients, please visit
https://www.nar.realtor/global/global-resources. To
access the Research Group’s various reports on the
housing market, please visit
https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics.
The National Association of REALTORS®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s
largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members, including NAR’s
institutes, societies and councils, involved in all aspects of the real estate industry.
NAR membership includes brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers,
counselors and others engaged in both residential and commercial real estate. The
term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real
estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and
subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Working for America's property owners, the
National Association provides a facility for professional development, research and
exchange of information among its members and to the public and government for
the purpose of preserving the free enterprise system and the right to own real
property.
To find out about other products from NAR’s Research Group, visit
www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics.
42
Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate 2018