Can a Canadian Buy a House in Florida? Yes, and Here Is How It Works
Yes. A Canadian can buy property in Florida. You do not need to be a US citizen. You do not need a green card. You do not need a visa. There is no law stopping a foreign buyer from owning American real estate, and Florida sells more of it to Canadians than any other state.
What trips people up is not permission. It is the paperwork, the money, and the tax rules on the way out. Here is the whole picture in plain language.
What you actually need
Three things, and none of them are immigration documents.
A passport. This is your identification at closing.
Proof of where the money came from. Bank statements, a sale, a business. American title companies are required to ask. It is not personal.
An ITIN, eventually. That is a tax identification number for people without a US social security number. You do not need it to buy. You will need it when you rent the property out or sell it.
Paying cash is simpler, but you are not stuck with it
Most Canadians buying in Florida pay cash. It closes faster and there is less to arrange from another country.
You can borrow instead. It is called a foreign national loan. Expect to put down more than an American buyer would, usually somewhere between thirty and forty percent, and expect a slightly higher rate. The lender will want the same documents any lender wants, translated into a form a US underwriter can read.
Neither option is better. Cash wins on speed and negotiating power. A loan keeps your capital free for the next property. If you are weighing the two, book a call and we will run both sets of numbers side by side.
The tax rule everyone warns you about
It is called FIRPTA, and it applies when you sell, not when you buy.
When a foreign owner sells US property, the closing agent usually holds back fifteen percent of the sale price and sends it to the IRS. It is not a fee and it is not lost. It is a deposit against whatever tax you actually owe. You file a return, the real number gets worked out, and the difference comes back to you.
Two things make it painless. Plan for it before you sell rather than discovering it at closing. And use an accountant who works both sides of the border, because they will file it correctly the first time.
We are not accountants and we do not give tax advice. We will introduce you to people who do this every week.
You do not have to get on a plane
This is the part people find hardest to believe.
You can tour a property by video with someone standing in it answering your questions. You can sign online. Where an in-person signature is genuinely required, a notary near you can witness it. The money moves by wire. Title companies here close remote purchases constantly.
Plenty of our clients have never stood inside the property they own.
What it costs to hold
Budget for four things every year: property taxes, insurance, HOA or condo fees if the property has them, and management if you are renting it out and not living nearby.
Florida insurance in particular has moved a lot in recent years. Do not use an old number you read somewhere. Get a current quote on the specific property before you commit, because it varies enormously by age, roof, and location.
The honest summary
Buying is the easy part. Owning well from another country is the part worth getting right, and that is mostly about the team around you: an agent who will actually walk the property, a title company comfortable closing remotely, an accountant who understands both tax systems.
If you want the specifics for your situation, read investing from Canada, or the wider guide to investing from abroad. If you would rather just ask, call or text 424-799-3922.
