Foreign Buyers of Commercial Real Estate in the U.S.A.

In the previous posts we have analyzed predominantly foreign buyers of residential properties in the U.S.A. and how to reach the proper groups of them if you are a seller (developer, realtor).

Yes, some or many of the foreign buyers invest in the U.S.A. residential properties planning to use them as actually commercial ones – to rent out. But the foreign investors purchase not only homes and condos to receive rental income, but also they purchase hotels, apartment and office buildings, retail properties, etc. So, let’s talk about commercial real estate in general and selling it to international investors.

According to NAR (The U.S.A. National Association of Realtors), the following countries send the most of international investors to the U.S.A.:

– 1. China
– 2. Mexico
– 3. United Kingdom
– 4. Venezuela
– 5. Canada
– 6. France
– 7. Israel
– 8. South Korea
– 9. United Arab Emirates
– 10. Vietnam

And the preferred U.S.A. destination for the international investors are the following:

– 1. Florida
– 2. Texas
– 3. California
– 4. New York
– 5. Arizona
– 6. Ohio
– 7. Alabama
– 8. Michigan
– 9. Mississippi
– 10. Nevada

We can see by the way that the top commercial foreign investors’ home countries and the top destinations for their investments are pretty close to those for the residential properties (look at the previous posts about the foreign buyers the U.S.A.), although not 100% the same and not in the same order of importance. (A varied mix of languages to use for marketing real estate to reach the right groups of investors anyway.)

For example, for Florida, according to the Florida Realtors Association, “the primary sources of these foreign investments in South Florida are: Canada, Germany, and Spain”.

Some other important data on the commercial real estate foreign buyers / investors in the U.S.A., according to NAR:

-20% of all commercial sales are to the international investors
-Median price of a transaction is $1 million
-60% are all cash purchases

To conclude: choose your major commercial real estate marketing directions wisely (to which countries investors, in what languages), and success will come.

Note: if your commercial property for sale meets the government requirements for investor’s visas, always say so in your marketing materials as some foreign investors are very much interested in such options.

Happy blog reading,

Olga Kellen,
The Amazon Author
International Marketing Consultant and English-Russian Translator

Copyright © 2018 by Olga Kellen
All Rights Reserved