Florida — It's Where the World Wants to Be

When Ruben Sanchez got a call from the front desk of his Miami condo building after a visitor asked how to buy a unit there, he had no idea it would lead to a long-term relationship with an international client—much less that the man was the consul general of India to Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.

Sanchez, managing broker with DoMi Real Estate Advisors in Miami, met him in the lobby and showed him his own apartment as they discussed the basics of buying property in Florida. “His first question was, ‘What do I need to get structured here?’” Sanchez says. “He had $1 million to invest, and the goal was for his son to come study in the states.”

Over time, that portfolio grew to eight properties and is now valued at about $10 million. “That only works with planning,” Sanchez says. “It’s never just about the property—it’s about the bigger picture.”

Global demand for Florida real estate is showing fresh signs of life. International buyers purchased an estimated 16,401 residential properties in the state between August 2024 and July 2025, a 50% increase from the prior year, according to the Florida Realtors® 2025 Profile of International Residential Transactions in Florida. That rebound pushed international dollar volume to $10.4 billion, up from $7.1 billion in 2024, even as high prices, interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty continued to weigh on global housing decisions.

While international buyers still account for just 5% of Florida’s total sales, their renewed activity underscores the state’s enduring appeal as both a lifestyle destination and a long-term investment.

Nearly half of those buyers came from Latin America and the Caribbean, with Canada remaining Florida’s largest single-country market by dollar volume. From South Florida’s condo towers to new-construction communities along the Gulf Coast, overseas buyers are targeting specific metros, price points and property types and relying heavily on trusted local expertise to navigate language barriers and complex financial considerations.

For real estate professionals working in the global space, success is less about chasing transactions and more about building relationships that cross borders, currencies and time zones.

Here’s a look at what it takes.

Canadian Loyalty

Canadians held the No. 1 spot among international buyers in Florida last year. They were responsible for 18% of home purchases and $1.9 billion in sales—a 52% jump from 2024. For Lynn Grady, a sales associate with Engel & Völkers Vero Beach, her work with Canadian buyers evolved naturally. “I didn’t zone in on Canadian buyers,” she says. “Word of mouth plays a big role in it. Once one comes along, another follows. I love people, and I feel like Canadians are looking for a place to escape cold winters, invest and enjoy the lifestyle.”

Many of Grady’s clients come from Ontario and Quebec, drawn to the Treasure Coast for its waterfront access, boating, golf and sense of community. Still, she says, they often arrive with questions. “They worry about insurance, healthcare or even how long they can stay,” she says.

FIRPTA, a federal law that requires a percentage of the sale to be withheld when a foreign national sells U.S. property, can also come as a surprise. But rather than try to advise on cross-border issues that aren’t her areas of expertise, Grady connects her clients with lenders, attorneys and tax professionals who can help them. “It’s about having the right resources in place before you need them,” she adds. “I also have a network of people I can refer for their property management, if they choose to rent it out.”

3 Ways to Build Connections

1.  Understand what they really want. Grady says her Canadian buyers aren’t just chasing sunshine; they’re seeking comfort, community and long-term value. “They’re looking for that luxury lifestyle: turnkey, newer builds, rental potential or even future retirement,” she says. “They want their home ready to go.”
2. Bridge cultural gaps. Communication preferences can vary, so Grady asks clients upfront how they’d like to stay in touch. “WhatsApp or email are usually my go-to,” she says. “As an agent, you’re here and they’re there, so you have to be their eyes and ears, doing virtual tours and staying in close contact.” Even with clients from Montreal, where French is the first language, she rarely encounters communication barriers. “The only French I know is, ‘Je m’appelle Lynn,’” she adds with a laugh. “Their schooling requires them to speak two or three languages, and most people speak English.”
3. Show hospitality. A devoted foodie and former restaurant owner in Connecticut, Grady enjoys making her clients feel cared for. “They’re traveling far, so they’re not thinking about food when they arrive at their new home,” she says. “I’ll stock the fridge with a full meal of chicken, pasta, salad, and I always include my signature homemade biscotti.” That extra touch, she says, helps buyers feel truly welcomed the moment they arrive.

Loyal Brazilians

Buyers from Brazil continue to be one of Florida’s most loyal international markets, making up 7% of foreign purchases in 2025. Corina Lessa Silva, broker-associate of Tampa Bay Key Real Estate, knows exactly how to reach them.

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, she has worked with hundreds of Brazilian clients over the past 12 years. Many follow her online for months or even years before ever reaching out. “By the time they contact us, they feel like they already know me,” she says.

That’s because Lessa-Silva has built a vast library of more than 500 videos in Portuguese on her YouTube channel, MORAR EM TAMPA BAY (“To Live in Tampa Bay”). “Video is powerful; it breaks down barriers before we ever talk,” she says, noting that her content walks viewers through everything from financing, contracts and taxes to model home tours.

One visiting buyer surprised his wife back in Brazil by purchasing a home she had never seen. “He told me, ‘My wife watches all your videos—she’ll love it,’” Lessa-Silva recalls. “We were like, please don’t do that! That’s not the kind of surprise most women want. Luckily, she loved it.”

Lessa-Silva’s clients tend to move carefully yet decisively, leaning on her team to help navigate language barriers, financing options, cultural differences and evolving immigration policies. “It’s all about trust,” she says. “They want to know you’ll protect them.”

3 Ways to Build Connections

1. Establish credibility. She stays in touch via WhatsApp, weekly emails and a podcast focused on Florida homebuying—all in Portuguese. “I show up on video and in their inbox every week,” she says. That connection continues post-sale, when potential buyers are added to a WhatsApp group of fellow Brazilian buyers. From that shared space, her team invites the group to meetups, podcast interviews and in-person events. “They all have one thing in common: us,” she says.
2.  Speak their language (literally and culturally). “Brazilians are great negotiators,” she says. “You can’t just speak Portuguese—you need to understand how they think, how they buy and how real estate works back home.” That includes preparing buyers for differences in negotiation style, closing timelines and counteroffers so they don’t inadvertently lose an opportunity. “In Brazil, you expect the asking price to be inflated, so you start with a lowball offer,” she says. “But here, if you come in too low, sellers may get offended and not even respond.”
3. Honor their preferences. Nearly all Lessa-Silva’s Brazilian buyers prefer new construction for its predictability, pristine condition and warranties. “If it’s their first property here, they don’t want surprise maintenance or the stress of figuring out repairs,” she explains. Many fall in love with model homes and neighborhood amenities. Her team educates buyers on builder incentives, timelines and HOA expectations, often via video or live virtual tours. “They love the organization of a brand-new neighborhood. To them, it feels safer than an older resale.”

Connections Across the Pond

Buyers from the United Kingdom accounted for 5% of Florida’s international home purchases in 2025.

For the past 12 years, Rachel Simerly, a British-born real estate advisor at Compass in Santa Rosa Beach, has helped international buyers find second homes, investment properties and long-term residences along the Emerald Coast. “I’ve always considered myself an advocate,” she says, noting that her former career in pharmaceutical research and regulatory affairs prepared her to guide clients through complex decisions.

As a U.K. citizen who has lived in the United States for 25 years, Simerly says her global business naturally centers on buyers from her home country. She travels to England frequently and maintains close family ties there. “Since I’ve lived, worked and owned property there, that also helps me to be a trusted advisor,” she says. “A friend and mentor to all, I would never pass up a cup of tea; and if you’ve ever traveled with me, you know my tea kettle comes along for the journey!”

If you sell real estate in Florida, Simerly says you’re already in the global business. “The question is whether you are prepared to serve it well,” she adds. “Florida is one of the most globally connected real estate markets in the world. Global real estate starts locally.”

3 Ways to Build Connections

1. Find your community. Simerly belongs to The Brits of Compass, a network of U.S.-based British agents guiding buyers and sellers through their real estate journey. “We’re in 72 markets throughout the United States, served 817 clients as of 2025 and closed $750 million-plus in sales volume,” she says. The group also supports British companies entering or expanding in the states. “We have a global social media presence on Instagram—follow us @britsofcompass!” she adds.
2. Lead to learn. She serves on Florida Realtors’® Global Business and Global Diversity committees and is vice president of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors®. She also participated in trade missions to Realtor Quest in Toronto and Conference de Paris. “Leadership gives you proximity to information, decision-makers and referral networks,” she says. “That visibility builds trust, and trust turns into referrals, repeat clients and long-term business stability,” she says.
3. Stay in the know. “Global real estate isn’t defined by price—it’s defined by people, movement and opportunity,” she says. The typical international homebuyer in Florida spent $442,000 in 2025, well above the state median. Staying current on foreign markets, global housing issues and international migration patterns has helped her assist buyers with complex needs. “A recent client looking to sell and buy in my local market also lives part-time in Europe,” she says. “Having those connections and resources were invaluable.”

As global buyers return with purpose, Florida’s advantage isn’t just sunshine or square footage—it’s trust, consistency and local expertise. #

Leslie C. Stone is a Vero Beach-based freelance writer.