Real Estate Marketing to Foreign Buyers: How Does It Pay?
The trend of buying real estate in countries other than one's own exists and growing in the modern world, nobody is capable to discontinue it, and anybody can use it to their advantage as a private seller of a property, real estate agent or developer and expand their buyers' pool by marketing to foreign buyers to advance the success in real estate sales.
As it happens with any other trends in the world’s markets, there are times when a particular country's properties are very popular among foreign buyers from some countries, then the trend can change and some other foreign countries' buyers will come. Catch the wave while it occurs!
Why would it be profitable for any real estate seller or realtor to market to foreign buyers?
Two major reasons in a balanced real estate market:
1. Foreigners usually pay higher prices,
And
2. They pay cash most of the time (no problems with financing).
If your local real estate market is slow, then finding foreign buyers may be the only way for you to sell your property. If your local real estate market is hot, marketing to foreign buyers may allow you to ask an even higher price for your property.
Let's see what some reputable internet sources say nowadays.
US National Association of Realtors (NAR) News:”In 2022 the average ($598,200) existing-home sales prices among international buyers were the highest ever recorded by NAR – 17.7% higher than the previous year. The increase in foreign buyer prices partly reflects the increase in U.S. home prices, as the monthly average existing-home sales price rose to $374,300, up 10% from the prior period.
”The average ($780,300) and median ($475,000) existing-home sales prices among international buyers were the highest ever recorded by NAR – and 21.9% and 19.8% higher, respectively, than the prior year. The increase in prices for foreign buyers reflected the overall price increase for all U.S. existing homes, which climbed to $392,600.
“At $1.3 million, Chinese buyers had the highest average purchase price, with 25% purchasing property in California. In total, 18% of international buyers purchased properties worth more than $1 million in one year period running from 2023 to 2024.”
The Wall Street Journal: ”In 2023 foreign buyers, who nearly disappeared during covid, finally return to the U.S. housing market. Foreign buyers currently account for about 40% of a real estate business, which has offices in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. That is up from just over 30% before the pandemic. It is the foreign buyer that is leading the recovery this time around. It’s very, very apparent.”
Miami Association of Realtors: "Foreign homebuyers purchased $6.8 billion of South Florida residential properties in 2022, up 34% from 2021. Global buyers bought 9,400 South Florida properties in 2022, up 25% year-over-year from 2021, compared to an 8% drop of the sold homes nationally. It marked the most Miami foreign buyer purchases since 2019.
”About 141 countries searched MiamiRealtors.com, which has three consumer-facing property search portals, in April 2025. The top 10 includes countries from four continents: North America, South America, Europe and Asia.”
Do you want a piece of this tasty pie for yourself? Ask any questions about marketing to foreign buyers and how it may apply to your property for sale – please go to CONTACT on the left menu of this site.
Where can you Find Foreign Buyers ? Go to this page for details and here’s a hint: on the foreign internet of course. Marketing to foreign buyers from a particular country should be done in their language on the internet of their country.
Do you want to Sell to Russian Buyers ? This website is full of resources for marketing to foreign buyers who live in Russia, other Russian speaking countries, and also all over the globe - if their native language is Russian and they often prefer to search the internet in their language. I can help you with any and all your needs in marketing and selling real estate to Russian Buyers.
Do you want to look for Chinese Real Estate Investors ? And this is also possible with using the proper resources for marketing to foreign buyers who speak Chinese. You will need to bring a Chinese translator on board after getting familiar with basics here.
Are you thinking of how to plan and budget for marketing to foreign buyers to achieve success in International Property Sales ? Then click on this link to have some guidance and help in your endeavour with foreign markets. I will be able to assist you with planning your marketing campaign in Russian media according to your budget if you are interested in selling properties to Russian buyers of real estate.
Sincerely yours,
Olga Kellen,
English - Russian Translator,
Associate member of ATA,
American Translators Association