Financing a Texas property from Mexico.

International buyers pay cash far more often than buyers overall. A loan can still make sense, especially for a rental, if the rent covers the payment with room to spare.

If you will finance, talk to the lender before you choose the property. The pre-approval tells you the down payment, the documents and how long the loan will take, and it makes your offer stronger.

Using resources in Mexico

Some buyers fund the purchase with savings or credit in Mexico and buy in cash in Texas. Compare the total cost with a U.S. loan, think about exchange-rate risk if your income is in pesos, and plan the transfer before you make an offer.

• A larger down payment. Published lender guides cite roughly 25% to 50% for foreign nationals, depending on the lender, the property and your profile.
• A higher rate than a standard U.S. mortgage, because the lender cannot rely on U.S. credit history.
• An appraisal. Lenders usually require one, and a low appraisal can change the loan amount.
• More time. Leave room in the contract’s closing date for the loan; a typical financed purchase takes about 30 to 45 days from contract to closing.
• Reserves. Some lenders ask you to keep several months of payments in the bank after closing. Ask how much.

• Valid passport and, if you have one, your U.S. visa.
• Recent bank statements showing the down payment, closing costs and reserves.
• Proof of income: tax returns, payroll receipts or financial statements of your business.
• Proof of address, such as utility bills.
• For a DSCR loan, the lease or a rent estimate for the property.

Ask early whether documents in Spanish need a certified translation and whether the lender lends to an LLC, if you plan to buy through one.

Ask each lender for a written estimate and compare the same items side by side:

• Interest rate, and whether it is fixed or adjustable.
• Points and origination fees.
• Down payment and required reserves.
• Prepayment penalty, if any.
• Time to close, and who orders the appraisal.
• Whether the loan can be held by an LLC.

A hypothetical purchase with a foreign-national loan, using the calculator’s editable assumptions. It is an illustration, not a quote.

Change the numbers in the calculator.

Start the transfer plan before you sign: ask your bank about limits, timing and exchange rates, and keep the statements that show where the money comes from. Send funds only to the escrow account of the title company in your contract, after confirming the instructions by phone at a number you verified yourself.