Loans for Foreign National Real Estate Investors
AAPL Member · Direct Lender Since 2016 · NMLS #1979189
For an investor based outside the United States, the usual mortgage process is a dead end — no US credit history, no Social Security number, no W-2 from a US employer. But US investment property is one of the most sought-after assets in the world precisely because it can be financed on the property, not the borrower’s domestic paperwork. Loans for foreign nationals are asset-based investment loans that qualify on the property’s value and income, which is exactly why they work when conventional financing can’t. Tidal Loans has financed investors as a direct lender since 2016, and our asset-based model is naturally suited to international buyers.
The key insight: because we underwrite the deal rather than your personal US income or credit, the absence of a US financial footprint isn’t the obstacle it would be at a bank. What we need is the property, the entity, and your funds — not a US credit score you can’t yet have.
DSCR Loans: the Natural Fit
The most common loan for a foreign national investor is the DSCR loan, because it qualifies on the rental property’s income rather than your personal income. We divide the property’s rent by its mortgage payment; if the rent covers it, the deal qualifies — no US tax returns, no US employment, no personal income verification. For a short-term rental, an Airbnb loan qualifies the same way on projected or actual nightly income. This is how international investors build US rental portfolios that pay for themselves.
Foreign national DSCR loans typically ask for a bit more equity — leverage is often somewhat more conservative than for a US-based borrower — and you’ll generally hold the property in a US LLC, which is standard practice and straightforward to set up. Beyond that, the underwriting centers on the asset.
Flips and Bridges Work Too
Foreign nationals aren’t limited to rentals. A fix and flip loan funds the purchase and renovation of a property to resell, underwritten on the after-repair value, and a bridge loan handles timing gaps the same way it does for any investor. The common thread across all of them is the same asset-based logic that makes foreign national lending possible at all: the property carries the loan.
What You'll Generally Need
Instead of a US credit score and tax returns, expect to provide: a valid passport and, where applicable, visa; a US LLC to hold the property (we can point you to resources for forming one); proof of funds for your down payment and reserves, typically from a verifiable bank account; and the standard property documentation — contract, appraisal, and a lease or rent estimate for a DSCR deal. Some lenders ask for a reference letter from your home-country bank. Our DSCR requirements page covers the property side; the foreign-national specifics are layered on top of that.
Foreign National Lending at a Glance
Foreign National Lending at a Glance
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Asset-based investment loans qualify on the property’s value and income rather than your US credit or income, so a foreign national without a US financial footprint can finance US property. DSCR rental loans are the most common path.
No. Because the loan is underwritten on the property, you don’t need a US credit history or SSN. You’ll typically provide a passport, a US LLC to hold the property, and proof of funds instead.
No. A DSCR loan qualifies on the rental property’s income, and a fix and flip on the property’s after-repair value — neither requires your personal income or tax returns, US or foreign. The asset carries the underwriting.
Foreign national investors generally hold US investment property in a US LLC, which is standard, offers liability protection, and keeps the financing clean. Forming one is straightforward, and we can point you to resources for it.
Often somewhat. Leverage for foreign national loans tends to be a bit more conservative than for US-based borrowers, so plan to bring more equity. The exact amount depends on the property, the product, and your documentation.
Ready to finance US property from abroad?
Tell us the property and your funds. We underwrite the asset, not your domestic paperwork, so the lack of US credit isn’t a barrier.