Our friendly Neighbors of the North. Canada more than any other country sends Florida the most global buyers. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Canadian winters are very cold and the Canadian dollar is doing very well compared to the USD. That combined with the quickly rising prices of properties within Canada (probably some of the highest prices in the world) makes Florida a no-brainer for the Canucks. 2020 and 2021 saw a decrease in Canadian buyers due to strict immigration policies both from the United States and Canada but as soon as borders opened, Canadian buyers started flocking here to continue their tradition of foreign investments. Even with the increases in Florida home prices.

In Southwest Florida (Lee & Collier Counties) there were roughly 910 sales to Canadian buyers in 2021. This is almost double or triple the next country. Again, restrictions heavily influence this number but it is still a very incredible figure to put into perspective how influential Canadians are to our local market. For 2021, the total MLS sales were roughly 4,500 for Lee and Collier and although the 900+ Canadian purchases include sales outside the MLS it is still a great comparison to make. Check out the “Global Tips” section to see important information about working with Canadian buyers.

Across the Atlantic Ocean is the United Kingdom – Apart of the British Isles U.K. is the second-largest purchaser of foreign investments in Florida. Over 2020 and 2021 we haven’t had a lot of travelers as we typically do because of the difficulty with border restrictions due to COVID but in 2022 we’ve already seen an uptick in visitors and investments. In 2019 – the U.K. and Europe made for roughly 20% of the total international buyers and we will more than likely see this return for 2022/2023.

Experts are predicting an uptick in U.K.investments going forward mainly due to the departure from the European Union. Regardless of popularity or opinions on the matter, many see Florida as a great way to invest and ride out the uncertainty of the change. Europeans and the U.K. often receive a lot more paid vacation hours than the United States, roughly 6-weeks minimum a year. That means there is a greater chance that a U.K. citizen will use that time to escape the rainy season in U.K. and travel here to visit their second home and enjoy the 200+ days of Florida sunshine.

Europe is a collection of 51 countries with the largest portion of which being a part of the European Union (Flag pictured Above) which comprises 27 countries with a population of 447 million citizens. EU members all share a “system of laws” similar to how the United States works with its Federal and State arrangement. There is free movement and transportation of goods throughout these countries and overall these countries tend to be wealthier to a similar level per capita to the United States. For that reason, that’s why, thanks to the European Union, Europe is one of the top 5 Global Investor bases. As mentioned with some of the other countries, the past years (2020 & 2021) have made it difficult for European citizens to move freely to the United States but in the past, this has been one of the largest bases of investors. Experts predict 2022/2023 to see an uptick of investors from Europe, especially after being away for a few years.

The two largest bases of Florida investors out of the European Union are Germans & French. These made up roughly 6% of purchases from Aug. 2019 to July 2020 (View graph in the “Asia/Pacific” Section). European countries have a lot of vacation time and typically have very cold winters and make up a decent amount of Florida’s “Snowbirds”. Believe it or not, Home prices in Florida are still relatively cheap compared to some prices in big European cities like Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Munich, etc. Many of us here might be shocked at the rise in price but it’s still a discount for our friends across the Atlantic.

Asia/Pacific refers to 13 total countries on the eastern hemisphere of the world. Some of the largest investors in Asia consist of China, Japan, and Korea. More than most cultures listed here, these countries are very unique and different in comparison to the cultures in the United States and even from country to country in Asia.

If there is one general characteristic of these countries it’s that they see Florida as a great investment for the future. Many of these countries are growing tremendously in recent years and have huge populations. Many of these countries have unique “quirks” – if you know you are working with a client from one of these countries a quick google search or a 10-minute read may go a long way in making sure you are making them feel comfortable. There are a ton of social differences, don’t assume how to interact with these clients.

Latin America consists of 30 different countries in the southwestern hemisphere. Based on the graph below – during the period in 2019-2020 Latin American countries consisted of 5 out of the top 7 Florida residential purchases. Brazil came in second being roughly 7% or roughly one-third in comparison to Canada, our largest local investor.

Brazilians among the other Latin American Countries love Florida for similar reasons to the other countries on the list. They love the unique Floridian weather and the investment opportunities. With these countries – it is a good idea to keep up with the exchange rates of their currency in comparison to the USD as a lot of times the past and future outlooks of those exchanges might play a key role in investors coming from one of these countries. Beyond that, there is unfortunately some instability economically speaking in some of these countries like Venezuela. This causes investors to make decisions with their money and a lot of time Florida makes a lot of financial sense. Like Asia/Pacific countries – read up on some ways their cultural interacts socially. Don’t assume they follow the same norms that we do in the United States.