Florida sees increase in international buyers
ORLANDO, Fla. - Sept. 21, 2010 - A number of factors contributed to the decline in home sales nationally and in Florida specifically, but the growing importance of foreign homebuyers has offset some of the damage. Roughly two out of every three Realtors in the state had at least one international transaction within the past year.
While U.S. buyers continue to struggle, foreign buyers generally see U.S. real estate as a desirable, profitable and secure investment. In addition, a weak U.S. dollar has made Florida real estate even more attractive recently.
The National Association of Realtors®, in cooperation with Florida Realtors, conducted a survey of Florida members, asking them about their experience working with international clients. The survey was conducted in July-August 2010. A total of 936 responses were received.
Report highlights
· 65 percent of survey participants - members of Florida Realtors - worked with an international client in the past 12 months. One in five worked with two international clients, and 18 percent working with three or more.
· Half of the respondents said that international clients accounted for 25 percent or less of their business; 15 percent reported that international homebuyers accounted for more than half of their business.
· One in three said that international clients were an increasing share of their customers in the past two years, while just under half (48 percent) noted that their share of international clients stayed about the same.
· Canada had the largest share of buyers, accounting for 36 percent of recent sales. Buyers from the United Kingdom accounted for 15 percent, and the rest of Western Europe accounted for an additional 14 percent. Latin America, defined for the purposes of the report to include Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America, accounted for 16 percent. Other countries with a small but significant share of sales included Germany (5 percent), Venezuela (3 percent), Brazil (3 percent) and France (3 percent).
· 51 percent purchased a detached single-family home; 37 percent purchased a condo, 11 percent purchased a townhouse and 1 percent purchased some other type of home.
· 38 percent purchased in a suburban area; 30 percent purchased property in a resort area; 25 percent purchased in a central city; and 7 percent purchased in a small town or rural area.
• 19 percent bought a home in the Orlando-Kissimmee area; 17 percent chose Miami-Ft. Lauderdale; 13 percent opted for Bradenton-Sarasota; and Tampa, Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Naples rounded out the top six with at least 5 percent of purchases.
I work with many foreign buyers wanting to purchase properties in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach - to relocate, for a vacation home, for investment. Many 'deal' properties in my area. Feel free to contact me.
Marsha Montoya Mayer- Realtor
Paradise Properties of Florida, Inc.
Email: marsha@mypalmbeachrealty.com Tel. 561-329-0428 www.mypalmbeachrealty.com
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