Foreign National Loans · International Buyers

Live abroad?
Own American real estate.

You don't need a green card, a Social Security number, or U.S. credit to own property here. A foreign national loan qualifies you on your passport, your income and assets back home, and bank reference letters — for a vacation home, a second home, or a primary residence if you're relocating. Beto guides international buyers through every step, in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, and can even arrange a closing at a U.S. embassy abroad.

No U.S. credit needed
No SSN required
Foreign income OK
Remote closing abroad
No U.S.
Credit Needed
25–40%
Typical Down Payment
Passport
+ Visa to Qualify
EN·ES·PT
Bilingual Guidance
What the big banks tell international buyers

"No U.S. credit, no green card — door closed."

Walk into a major retail bank as a foreign buyer and you'll likely hear no. That's not because it's impossible — it's because that bank doesn't offer the right program. Specialized lenders do.

The Myth

"Without a Social Security number or U.S. credit, a foreigner can't get a U.S. mortgage."

So international buyers either pay all cash, or give up on owning here entirely — when financing was available the whole time, just through the right channel.

The Reality

Foreign national loans are built for buyers who live abroad.

Lenders qualify you on your passport, foreign income and assets, and bank reference letters — no U.S. credit, no SSN, no U.S. tax returns. You'll put more down, but the path is real, and Beto knows the lenders who specialize in it.

First, the most important fork

A home you'll use, or one you'll rent out?

The answer points you to two different programs. Picking the right one upfront saves time, money, and paperwork — so let's start here.

A home you'll use

Foreign National loan

For a property you (or your family) will use — a vacation home, a second home, or a primary residence if you're relocating to the U.S. You're on the right page.

Qualify on your income & assets back home
Passport + visa, no U.S. credit required
Vacation / second home, or relocation primary
Keep reading below ↓
A property you'll rent out

Foreign National DSCR

Buying purely to invest and rent? A DSCR loan qualifies on the property's own rental income — often with no personal income docs and sometimes no credit score, and you can title it under a U.S. LLC.

Qualifies on the rent, not your income
Ideal for building a U.S. rental portfolio
Can be held in a U.S. LLC

Not sure, or doing a bit of both? Beto will sort it out on a quick call and point you to the program with the best terms for your plan.

How it works

Four pieces, no U.S. credit needed.

Instead of a U.S. credit score, the lender builds confidence from your identity, your money, and references from your home country.

1

Identity

A valid passport and, in most cases, a U.S. visa (B-1/B-2, H-1B, L-1, E-2 and others are commonly accepted).

2

Income & assets

Proof of foreign income — an employer or CPA letter from home, plus bank statements showing your funds.

3

Credit references

No U.S. score? An international credit report or 2–3 bank reference letters stand in for it.

4

Down payment & reserves

A larger down payment (often 25–40%) and several months of reserves, typically through a U.S. bank account.

The credit question, answered

No U.S. credit? Here's what counts instead.

U.S. lenders generally can't read a foreign credit score directly — so they accept other proof that you handle money responsibly. Any of these can establish your creditworthiness.

International credit report

A credit report from your home country, translated and reviewed where available.

Bank reference letters

Two or three letters from foreign banks confirming your accounts and good standing.

Reference letters

Letters from a landlord or other creditors abroad showing an on-time payment history.

Gathering these from overseas is the part that trips most buyers up. Beto gives you the exact checklist for your country and lender so nothing stalls your file.

What to expect

The general bar, and the paperwork.

Foreign national loans ask for more equity and more documentation than a domestic loan — the trade-off for qualifying without U.S. credit or income.

25–40%
Down Payment
30% is common and often unlocks the best rate; new-build condos can require more.
6–12 mo
Cash Reserves
Several months of payments in reserve; some lenders let reserves stay in foreign accounts.
No FICO
U.S. Credit
Not required — foreign references or an international report stand in.
U.S. Bank
Account
Usually needed for down payment and closing funds, seasoned for a set period.

Your document checklist

Valid passport (and U.S. visa, where applicable)
Proof of income — employer or CPA letter from home
Bank statements showing funds for down payment & reserves
Credit references — international report or bank letters
U.S. bank account for closing funds
Statement of purpose — use, second home, or relocation
Why international buyers work with a broker

Distance shouldn't stand in the way.

The mechanics of buying from another country are the hard part. The right broker makes them disappear.

1

Own U.S. real estate from abroad

A legitimate, well-established path to a U.S. home without a green card, SSN, or American credit. Many international families already own here this way.

No residency required
2

Built around foreign finances

Foreign income, foreign assets, foreign bank references — the program is designed for money that lives in another country, not penalized for it.

Your home-country finances count
3

Close without flying in

Many transactions can close remotely — at a U.S. embassy or consulate — and Beto coordinates it all in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Remote closing · EN·ES·PT
Who foreign national loans fit

For buyers with global lives.

If you live, earn, or bank outside the U.S. but want a foothold here, this is your path. A few of the people Beto helps most:

Vacation & second-home buyers

A place in the Texas Hill Country, the coast, or the city to escape to. The most common foreign national purchase — and a great fit.

Parents of U.S. students

Buying a home near a Texas university for your child instead of paying years of rent — and keeping an asset that holds value.

Relocating professionals

Moving to the U.S. for work and establishing residency? A foreign national loan can finance the primary home you'll actually live in.

International investors

Building a U.S. rental portfolio? You'll want foreign national DSCR — qualify on the rent, hold it in an LLC. See DSCR →

Alberto Moravia, Beto the Broker
NMLS #1956260 · Verified

Alberto Moravia — Beto the Broker — is a licensed mortgage broker, TREC Certified Instructor, and proud San Antonio resident who helps international buyers turn distance and paperwork into a set of keys. He speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese — a real advantage for buyers from across Latin America, Brazil, and beyond.

As an independent broker at Edge Home Finance LLC, Alberto shops across 100+ wholesale and portfolio lenders — the specialists who actually do foreign national and DSCR loans — and coordinates everything from your foreign documents to a remote embassy closing. Straight answers, in your language.

✓ NMLS #1956260 ✓ TREC Certified Instructor ✓ 100+ Lenders ✓ Foreign National · DSCR ✓ EN · ES · PT
Real questions, straight answers

What international buyers ask most.

Do I need U.S. credit or a Social Security number? +
No to both. Foreign national loans don't require a U.S. credit score or an SSN. Instead, lenders review an international credit report or bank reference letters from your home country, along with your income, assets, and down payment. It's a different way of measuring the same thing: whether you reliably handle money.
How much do I need to put down? +
Typically 25% to 40%, with 30% a common middle that often unlocks a better rate. New-construction condos can require more. The larger down payment is how lenders offset the added risk of an international borrower — but your funds can usually come from foreign or U.S. accounts (seasoned for a set period).
Can I buy a primary residence, or just a vacation home? +
Most foreign national loans are for vacation homes and second homes. A primary residence is generally available if you're relocating to the U.S. or establishing residency. If you're buying purely to rent out, that's an investment — see our DSCR program instead. Beto will confirm which category fits your plans.
What visa do I need? +
Many programs accept a range of visas — B-1/B-2 (visitor), H-1B, L-1, E-2 and others — and some don't strictly require a visa as long as you have legal entry (or for a remote closing). Requirements vary by lender, so the simplest step is to tell Beto your situation and he'll match you with a program that accepts it.
Do I have to travel to the U.S. to close? +
Often, no. Many foreign national transactions can close remotely — documents signed at a U.S. embassy or consulate in your country, with title companies experienced in international closings. Beto coordinates the logistics so you don't have to fly in just to sign.
I want to rent the property out. Is that this loan? +
No — for a pure rental you'll want a foreign national DSCR loan, which qualifies based on the property's rental income rather than your personal income (often with no income docs and sometimes no credit score), and can be held in a U.S. LLC. It's usually the simpler path for investors. Learn about DSCR loans →
¿Hablan español? Falam português? +
Sí — y sim. Beto speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese, so buyers from across Latin America and Brazil can handle the entire process in their own language. The call is free with no obligation — la llamada es gratis / a ligação é gratuita.

Your U.S. home is closer than you think.

A free 10-minute call with Beto, in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Tell him where you're buying and how you'll use the property, and he'll map the program, the down payment, and the documents — and handle the lender search across borders for you.

Book My Free Call (808) 551-8045
Prefer to write? Message Alberto →