Can a foreigner buy property in the United States?

Foreigners may buy on much the same terms as citizens

No federal law stops a foreigner from owning land or buildings in the United States. The rules that matter are set by each state, and a growing number of states now restrict purchases by people or companies from certain countries.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

A foreigner may own land. Property law is made by the states, not by Congress, so the rules differ from state to state.

Houses and flats

Houses, apartments and commercial buildings can be owned by foreigners on the same legal footing as by Americans.

Buying through a company

A foreign-owned company can hold property. A foreign person or company that owns US farmland or forest must report it to the federal government.

Limits and closed zones

Several states restrict land purchases by people or companies linked to certain foreign countries, mostly near military sites or on farmland. The lists change, so check the state before you buy.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States can review, and in some cases block, a purchase near a sensitive military or government site.

What to watch for

Federal tax rules on selling US property apply to foreign owners and can mean withholding at the sale.
A state law passed after the purchase can still affect the owner. Read the rules of the state where the land lies.

Understand the legal system first

The United States belongs to the Common law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the United States legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.