Near the end of the episode, one of the panelists brings up a question he expected to hear from listeners: can someone living in the United States as a "permanent tourist" buy and finance a house? The phrase, used carefully, refers to people in the country without a defined immigration status. The realtors answer that there are paths — and add another audience: Brazilians living in Brazil who want to buy in California.

One note up front: this article covers mortgage financing. It is not immigration guidance, and buying a property doesn't change anyone's immigration status in any way.

Path 1: financing with an ITIN

The realtors explain that people living in the United States without a Social Security number can get financing if they have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), the taxpayer ID the IRS issues to people who need to file taxes but don't qualify for a Social Security number. In their explanation, the person stops being "unknown" to the government: they have documentation and pay their taxes.

ITIN loans aren't conventional or FHA loans; they're offered by banks, credit unions, and specialized lenders, each with their own rules. Generally, they tend to require:

• a valid ITIN and ID, such as a passport;
• tax returns from the past two years, showing stable income;
• proof of income and employment, bank statements, and reserves;
• a bigger down payment, generally 10% to 20% or more, depending on the lender and credit;
• rates usually higher than conventional financing.

Some lenders accept alternative credit history, such as on-time rent and utility payments, for people without an established score.

Path 2: financing for a foreign national living abroad

The second option is the foreign national loan. It's for people who live and earn income in Brazil and want to buy in California. The realtors describe the terms:

• a minimum down payment around 35%;
• proof of income in Brazil sufficient to cover the property and the mortgage payments, with Brazilian documentation and statements;
• a valid passport.

U.S. income isn't required. But, as they stress, this loan is for people who don't live here: it can't be used by someone claiming U.S. residency. This product, with its numbers, is also covered in a separate article in this paper.

Do you need a visa?

Here the realtors don't reach a consensus on the recording — because it depends on the lender. Some foreign national programs require a valid visa in addition to a passport; others don't. What everyone agrees on is that having a visa is advisable: without one, the buyer can't even visit the property they bought.

It's worth repeating the underlying point: owning property in the United States doesn't grant the right to enter, live, or remain in the country. Entry and residency depend entirely on immigration law. For immigration questions, the right path is a licensed immigration attorney.

Path 3: qualifying through rental income

The realtors also mention a type of loan for people buying to rent out: the lender checks how much the property can earn in rent and uses that figure to qualify the purchase — even if the buyer isn't yet collecting that income. In the market, this model is known as DSCR (debt service coverage ratio), which compares expected rent to the mortgage payment. It's aimed at investors, typically requires a down payment of 20% to 25% or more with higher rates, and isn't meant for owner-occupants.

One of the realtors, talking about Lawndale, mentions something close to this logic: when buying a duplex to live in, the lender can factor in the rent from the other unit.

Cautions for every path

• Compare lenders: ITIN and foreign national terms vary a lot.
• Document where the money comes from: wire transfers from Brazil need a clear paper trail for the down payment.
• Plan for taxes in both countries: rental income and the sale of U.S. property have specific tax rules and withholding requirements for foreign nationals (like FIRPTA on a sale).
• Don't claim residency you don't have, or the opposite: false information on a loan application is a federal crime.
• Keep the roles separate: financing with the lender, taxes with the accountant, immigration with the attorney.

This text is for informational purposes only and doesn't constitute immigration, legal, tax, or financial advice.

Sources and verification

• Internal Revenue Service — Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): purpose and eligibility.
• California lenders and credit unions with ITIN loan programs — typical requirement of two years of tax returns and a down payment of 10% to 20% or more.
• Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) — tax withholding on the sale of property by a foreign national.
• 18 U.S. Code, section 1014 — the crime of false statements on a loan application.
• Transcript and chapters from episode 11 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (recorded April 2026), with the show's realtors.

Watch this part of the episode:

Can a Tourist or Foreign Investor Finance a Property? — starting at 32:28 · CADÊ BRAZIL