International Real Estate Statistics 2026: Foreign Buyers by Country, in Numbers
Published on: July 10, 2026
Last verified: 10 July 2026. Figures reflect the sources and periods cited and may be revised. Verify before acting.
This is a reference page: a compact, sourced snapshot of cross-border residential real estate as of early-to-mid 2026. It pulls together official and industry figures on foreign-buyer volumes, origin countries, transaction taxes, and residency-by-investment thresholds across the largest destination markets.
A note on methodology: foreign-buyer statistics are not measured the same way everywhere. The US figures below come from a survey of realtors covering a 12-month window (April 2024 to March 2025). Turkey's come from national land-registry records by calendar year. Spain and UAE figures are transaction taxes and program thresholds. Comparing across countries requires reading each number in its own context, so each is labelled with its source and period.
United States, the largest foreign-buyer market by dollar volume
Source: National Association of Realtors (NAR), 2025 Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate, covering April 2024 to March 2025 (released July 2025).
- Foreign buyers purchased $56 billion of US existing homes, up 33.2% from $42 billion the prior year.
- They bought 78,100 properties, up 44% year-on-year, the first annual increase since 2017.
- The median foreign-buyer purchase price hit a record $494,400, versus a US median of $408,500.
- Foreign purchases were 2.5% of total US existing-home dollar volume.
- International clients made up 20% of surveyed realtors' business.
- 47% of foreign buyers paid all cash (versus 28% of all US buyers); among non-resident foreign buyers the figure rose to 56%, and among Chinese buyers to roughly 71%.
- 18% of foreign buyers purchased homes priced over $1 million.
US foreign buyers, top origin countries (April 2024 to March 2025)
| Country | Share of foreign buyers | Homes purchased | Dollar volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 15% | ~11,700 | $13.7B |
| Canada | 14% | ~10,900 | $6.2B |
| Mexico | 8% | ~6,200 | $4.4B |
| India | 6% | ~4,700 | $2.2B |
| United Kingdom | 4% | ~3,100 | $2.0B |
The top five origin countries together accounted for 47% of the $56 billion. By region, Asia supplied 38% of foreign buyers, Latin America/Caribbean 28%, and Europe 11%. Chinese buyers had the highest average purchase price, around $1.2 million.
US foreign buyers, top destination states
Florida led with 21% of all foreign purchases, followed by California, Texas, Arizona and New York. Florida's appeal is consistently linked to no state income tax and large international communities. Suburban areas drew 44% of foreign buyers and central-city/urban areas 40%.
Turkey, a large market where foreign demand cooled
Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), calendar-year data.
- Homes sold to foreigners: 23,781 in 2024 (down 32.1% year-on-year, the lowest in seven years) and 21,534 in 2025 (down a further 9.4%).
- Foreign buyers were roughly 1.6% of all Turkish home transactions in 2024, against a national market of about 1.48 million sales.
- Between 2022 and 2024, a cumulative 126,276 homes were sold to foreigners.
- Russian nationals were the single largest foreign-buyer group in both years, 4,867 homes in 2024 and 3,649 in 2025, followed by Iranian and Ukrainian buyers.
- Top destination provinces (2025): Istanbul 7,989, Antalya 7,118, Mersin 1,800.
- Antalya's average residential price was around $2,530 per square metre in early 2026.
Turkey, residency and citizenship thresholds
| Route | Minimum property value | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Residence permit | $200,000 (since Oct 2023) | Residential property; 2-year renewable |
| Citizenship by investment | $400,000 (since June 2022) | 3-year hold; "not for sale" annotation on title |
Turkey's title-deed transfer tax is 4% of declared value.
Spain (Costa del Sol / Andalusia), transaction taxes and the Golden Visa closure
Source: Andalusian regional tax rules and Spanish government policy, 2026.
- Resale transfer tax (ITP) in Andalusia: flat 7%, calculated on the higher of the purchase price or the official reference value.
- New-build tax: 10% VAT (IVA) + 1.2% stamp duty (AJD) = 11.2%.
- Total buying costs typically add 10 to 13% (resale) to 13 to 14% (new build) over the price.
- Andalucía has abolished its wealth tax.
- Costa del Sol resale prices range broadly €2,000 to €5,000/m², with prime Marbella and the Golden Mile at roughly €6,500 to €10,000/m² and ultra-prime areas higher.
- Spain's property-linked Golden Visa was abolished, with applications closing in April 2025. Non-EU buyers now use routes such as the Digital Nomad Visa or Non-Lucrative Visa.
United Arab Emirates (Dubai), fast, low-tax transactions
Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD) and UAE residency rules, 2026.
- Property registration fee: 4% of the property price (via the DLD).
- Transactions typically complete in under 30 days.
- No property, income, inheritance or capital-gains tax at the emirate level.
- Golden Visa: a real-estate investment of AED 2 million (approximately $545,000) grants a renewable 10-year residency, with no minimum-stay requirement.
Residency & citizenship-by-investment, thresholds at a glance (2026)
| Program | Minimum outlay | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey citizenship by investment | $400,000 property | Full citizenship after 3-year hold |
| Turkey residence permit | $200,000 property | Renewable residency |
| UAE Golden Visa | AED 2M (approximately $545,000) property | 10-year renewable residency |
| US EB-5 (TEA) | $800,000 investment | Green card; 10 jobs; rising ~2027 |
| US EB-5 (standard) | $1,050,000 investment | Green card; 10 jobs; rising ~2027 |
| US "Gold Card" | $1,000,000 gift | Repackaged EB-1/EB-2; legally contested |
| Spain property Golden Visa | None (closed) | Closed to new applicants (April 2025) |
Selling as a foreigner, the US withholding rule
Under FIRPTA, a foreign person selling US real property faces a default withholding of 15% of the gross sale price (with reduced 10% or 0% rates in specific buyer-occupied residence cases). Several US states add their own withholding on top, for example, Hawaii 7.25%, Maryland 8%, and California 3.33% of the gross price, while Florida and Texas impose none.
The wealth-migration backdrop
The cross-border property market sits on top of accelerating movement of wealthy individuals. According to Henley & Partners, the number of millionaires expected to relocate to another country in 2026 reached 165,000, a record, driven by tax changes, geopolitical uncertainty and demand for backup residency. That mobility is a structural tailwind for residency-linked property markets from Dubai to Lisbon.
Key takeaways
- US foreign-buyer activity rebounded hard in the year to March 2025, $56 billion and 78,100 homes, up a third by value, led by China and Canada, concentrated in Florida.
- Foreign buyers pay a premium and pay cash: a record $494,400 median and 47% all-cash purchases in the US.
- Turkey's foreign demand cooled for a second year (21,534 sales in 2025) even as Russians stayed the top buyer group.
- Transaction costs vary widely: Andalusia's 7% resale ITP and Dubai's and Turkey's 4% registration/title taxes sit at the lower end; new-build Spain reaches 11.2%.
- Residency-by-investment is repricing: Spain's property Golden Visa is closed, EB-5 thresholds rise in 2027, and the US Gold Card remains legally contested, while Turkey ($400K) and the UAE (approximately $545K) remain the most accessible property-linked routes.
Frequently asked questions
How much did foreign buyers spend on US homes in the latest data?
$56 billion on 78,100 existing homes in the 12 months to March 2025, up 33.2% by value, the first annual increase since 2017, per NAR.
Which country buys the most US real estate?
China led with 15% of foreign buyers (~11,700 homes, $13.7 billion), narrowly ahead of Canada at 14%, in the year to March 2025.
How many homes did foreigners buy in Turkey in 2025?
21,534, down 9.4% from 2024, with Russian nationals the largest single foreign-buyer group (3,649 homes), per TÜİK.
What is the cheapest property-linked residency in 2026?
Among the markets covered here, Turkey's $200,000 residence permit is the lowest property threshold, with its $400,000 citizenship route and the UAE's approximately $545,000 Golden Visa also comparatively accessible.
Are these statistics comparable across countries?
Only with care. The US data is survey-based over a 12-month window; Turkey's is land-registry data by calendar year; Spain and UAE figures are tax rates and program thresholds. Read each in its own context.
Go deeper on any market with JanusHermes
JanusHermes aggregates verified listings across 50+ countries with prices in your currency and cost-of-living data on every page. Explore the markets behind these numbers: the Antalya buyer's guide, the Costa del Sol guide, the US Gold Card vs EB-5 comparison, and the FIRPTA guide for foreign sellers.
This page compiles third-party statistics for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. Figures reflect the sources and periods cited and may be revised or superseded; tax rates and program thresholds change. Verify current figures with primary sources and qualified professionals before relying on them for any decision.
A note on the numbers: where no source is named, the market figures in this article (prices, yields, costs) are indicative estimates compiled from publicly available market data and industry reporting at the time of writing. Markets move and rules change, so treat them as a starting point and verify current figures with official sources before acting on them.
