The question almost always arrives in the same shape: “I live in Brazil, I have no American documents — can I buy a house over there?”. The short answer is yes. The useful answer is longer, because the path exists, but it is a different path, with requirements of its own.

In this piece: what the bank asks of a non-resident buyer, how much of a down payment to expect, how you document income that is paid in another country, why the money has to be here months ahead of time and what changes in the interest rate. It applies to Greater Los Angeles, but the product itself is nationwide.

What the bank requires from someone who doesn't live here

The basics are less bureaucratic than most people imagine — and, at the same time, stricter on one specific point: money. The package usually looks like this:

• A valid visa to enter the United States. You have to be able to come and sign the paperwork. Living here is not required, nor is a green card, nor a Social Security number.
• A down payment of 30% to 40% of the property's value. The bigger the down payment, the easier the approval and the better the rate. Below that range, the product simply does not exist for a non-resident.
• A U.S. bank account. It is possible to open an account without American documents — the process varies from bank to bank and usually requires showing up in person, a passport and proof of address.
• Proof of income. Documents from your home country work: income tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs. Anyone employed by a company can present a letter from the employer confirming position and pay.
• Independent verification. The bank calls the company, checks the documents and validates what was submitted. Information that doesn't hold up under verification sinks the entire file.

Notice what does not show up on the list: an American credit score. That absence is exactly what explains the large down payment — with no local history, the bank has only your money as assurance that the account closes.

The money's calendar: “seasoning” is the detail that delays purchases most

This is the rule that catches almost everyone off guard. Having the down payment isn't enough: it has to already be sitting in a U.S. account before the signing. In theory, two months. In practice, the recommendation is three months — because the bank asks for statements covering the period and wants to see the balance sitting still, with a clear origin.

The technical name for this is fund seasoning : the money has to “rest” in the account and have a traceable origin. A wire that just landed, a large deposit with no explanation or money that shows up on the eve of closing all trigger requests for extra documentation — and, in many cases, push the deal back.

Practical consequence: anyone planning to buy six months from now needs to move the money now. Opening the account and transferring is the first step, not the last.

What it costs extra: the difference in the interest rate

A foreign buyer pays more. The reference cited on the episode is roughly 2 percentage points above what a resident would pay: if the American closes at 6%, the non-resident tends to land near 8%. The number varies with the profile, the down payment and the bank, but the logic is constant — more perceived risk, more interest.

The comparison the two of them make on the show is worth keeping: even at 8%, the cost of American mortgage credit remains far below what is charged in Brazil. It's an honest argument, as long as it comes with the other side of the ledger: the American payment is in dollars, and the income of someone living in Brazil is not. Currency swings are a real risk and have to enter the math.

Less paperwork, more proof

There is a feeling, common among Brazilians, that buying property in the United States is “easier.” It is more streamlined — fewer documents, no notary offices, shorter timelines. But it is more demanding on proof: here you document income tax, the origin of the money, income stability and, for those who live here, credit history. Every claim needs a document behind it.

Whoever understands that from the start wastes less time. The process doesn't stall for lack of luck; it stalls over a document that doesn't exist or money whose origin can't be explained.

Where to start

Before picking a house, look for a financing professional — a lender or mortgage broker — and ask for a read on your case. That conversation is what defines how much you need down, which Brazilian paperwork works and how soon the money has to be here. Only then does it make sense to look at properties: with the price range already validated, the search becomes a decision, not a stroll.

This text is informational and does not replace legal, accounting or licensed mortgage professional advice. Rules, figures and rates change; confirm the current version before any decision.

Sources and verification

• Cadê Moradia episode with Rafael Na, mortgage broker specializing in home financing, recorded in June 2026 — down payment ranges, how long the money must sit in the account and the interest rate difference cited by him.
• Credit products for non-residents (foreign national loans): criteria vary by institution; confirm current terms with your lender.
• Requirement to document the source of funds and provide statements for the period preceding closing — standard mortgage underwriting practice in the United States.

Watch this part of the episode:

Can you buy a home as an immigrant, without residency? — starting at 1:08 · CADÊ BRAZIL