Buying a House in Florida: Procedure for Swiss Buyers
A Step-by-Step Guide to Purchasing Florida Property for Swiss Buyers
Swiss residents looking to buy a house in Florida shouldn't base their decision solely on location, price, and features. Buying real estate in the USA differs from buying a house in Switzerland in several key aspects. These include selecting the property, the purchase agreement, verifying ownership, financing, the closing process, and tax considerations.
Especially when buying a property from Switzerland, it's therefore worthwhile to plan the process clearly from the outset. Anyone wanting to buy a house in Florida should also decide early on whether the property is intended as a vacation home, a second home, for long-term rental, or as a combination of owner-occupancy and rental.
1. First, Determine Which Property and Location Are Being Sought.
Especially when buying a property from Switzerland, it's therefore worthwhile to plan the process clearly from the outset. Anyone wanting to buy a house in Florida should also decide early on whether the property is intended as a vacation home, a second home, for long-term rental, or as a combination of owner-occupancy and rental.
1. First, Determine Which Property and Location Are Being Sought.
Florida is not a homogenous real estate market. Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, Cape Coral, Sarasota, Tampa, and the regions around Orlando differ significantly in prices, demand, property types, insurance, and running costs.
For Swiss buyers, the first question is therefore not only: “How much does the house cost?”, but: How will the property be used?
For a vacation home, location, proximity to the airport, beach access, and maintenance costs may be more important. For a rental property, additional factors include rental demand, local regulations, management costs, and potential restrictions imposed by a homeowners' association.
The latest figures continue to show strong international demand for Florida. Between August 2024 and July 2025, international buyers purchased approximately 16,400 existing residential properties in Florida. The median price of these purchases was US$442,000. International purchases were particularly concentrated in South Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
2. Clarify Budget and Financing Early
Before starting a concrete property search, the total budget should be determined. In addition to the purchase price, costs may include inspections, title verification, insurance, taxes, registration, financing, administration, and possibly renovations.Financing is a key decision. International buyers can obtain US financing under certain conditions. However, the requirements can differ significantly from those for a Swiss mortgage. Banks examine factors such as income, assets, source of funds, creditworthiness, and the specific property.
Those with sufficient equity can also consider a cash purchase. According to the Florida Realtors Report for 2025, 60% of international purchases were settled in cash.
However, this does not mean that a cash purchase is automatically easier or cheaper. Even when buying without a mortgage, the property should be carefully inspected from a legal and technical perspective.
3. Select a Property and Conduct a Viewing.
Once the budget is set, the actual property search begins. For Swiss buyers, a personal viewing is particularly advisable. According to Florida Realtors, 90% of international buyers visited Florida at least once before making a purchase during the survey period.During the viewing, you shouldn't just focus on the first impression. Important factors include:
• Condition of roof, air conditioning and building services
• Age and condition of pool and pool equipment
• possible damage caused by moisture or previous storms
• Flood and inundation risks
• Condition of windows and doors
• Property and drainage
• ongoing fees of a Homeowners' Association
• existing rental or usage restrictions
For older properties, a professional home inspection can be particularly important.
4. Purchase Offer and Contract
Once a suitable property has been found, a purchase offer is usually made. If this is accepted by the seller, the contractual phase begins.Swiss buyers should not simply sign a contract without fully understanding the terms. Crucial factors include the agreed purchase price, the down payment, the closing date, and the so-called contingencies.
An inspection contingency may, for example, stipulate that after a property inspection, the buyer may, under certain conditions, withdraw from the contract or negotiate repairs or modifications.
The question of what remains with the house should also be clearly settled. This could include, for example, kitchen appliances, certain pieces of furniture, pool equipment, or other items.
5. Title Search and Legal Review
A key step when buying a house in Florida is verifying the title. This involves checking whether the seller actually possesses the necessary ownership rights and whether, for example, there are any outstanding claims, liens, or other encumbrances.In many transactions, a title company or a corresponding closing service provider plays an important role. Depending on the transaction, title insurance may also be taken out.
For buyers from Switzerland, this step is particularly important because the American procedure should not simply be equated with the Swiss land registry system. The legal structure of the transaction should therefore be reviewed by professionals familiar with Florida real estate and international buyers.
6. Technical Inspection and Insurance
Alongside the legal review, the property should undergo a technical inspection. Especially in Florida, building insurance is an important consideration that should be addressed early on.
Depending on the location, factors such as hurricane risks, flooding, wind damage, and the specific construction can influence insurance costs. Therefore, when buying a house near the coast, it's advisable not to wait until just before closing to check whether insurance is available at acceptable rates.
This is also important for budget planning: An attractive purchase price alone says little about the actual annual costs of a property.Alongside the legal review, the property should undergo a technical inspection. Especially in Florida, building insurance is an important consideration that should be addressed early on.
Depending on the location, factors such as hurricane risks, flooding, wind damage, and the specific construction can influence insurance costs. Therefore, when buying a house near the coast, it's advisable not to wait until just before closing to check whether insurance is available at acceptable rates.
This is also important for budget planning: An attractive purchase price alone says little about the actual annual costs of a property.
7. Understanding Taxes and Closing Costs
In addition to the agreed-upon purchase price, various transaction costs arise during the purchase. In Florida, for example, a Documentary Stamp Tax is levied on certain documents used to transfer real estate. The state of Florida specifies a rate of 70 cents per $100 of the assessment basis for most counties. Special rules apply to Miami-Dade.In addition, Swiss buyers should include ongoing property taxes, insurance, possible HOA fees, maintenance and, if applicable, the costs of professional property management in their calculations.
Anyone wishing to rent out the property should also clarify the tax treatment of rental income in both the USA and Switzerland with a suitably qualified tax advisor before purchasing it.
8. Special Considerations for Foreign Buyers
Swiss buyers are generally considered foreign buyers in the USA unless they are US persons. This does not mean that a private Swiss buyer is generally prohibited from purchasing real estate in Florida.However, Florida has special legal regulations for certain foreign individuals and companies. The current Florida Statutes include restrictions for certain so-called "foreign principals" on agricultural land and on properties near certain military installations and critical infrastructure. Further rules apply to certain individuals and companies from the legally defined "foreign countries of concern."
For a Swiss buyer, it is therefore important to clarify before purchasing what type of property is being acquired and under what ownership structure the purchase will take place. Especially in the case of larger investments or purchases via a company, the structure should be reviewed from a legal and tax perspective before the contract is signed.
9. Closing: The Actual Conclusion
Once all conditions are met, the financing is provided, the review is completed, and the necessary documents are prepared, the closing takes place.During this process, the purchase documents are signed, the agreed-upon funds are transferred, and ownership is transferred and registered according to the applicable procedures. Depending on the specific transaction, buyers may not necessarily need to be personally present in Florida for the entire process. However, the available options should be clarified with the closing partner well in advance.
After the transaction is completed, all important documents should be carefully preserved. These include, in particular, the purchase agreement, closing statement, proof of payment, insurance documents, and documents relating to the transfer of ownership.
10. Think About the Later Sale Even When Buying.
One point is sometimes only considered by international buyers when selling: the US tax rules for foreign owners.When a foreign individual subsequently sells a US property, FIRPTA rules may apply. The IRS explains that, in principle, a 15% withholding tax can be levied on the relevant sale amount. Reduced or no withholding is possible under certain conditions; specific procedures and forms exist for this purpose.
Therefore, tax planning shouldn't begin only at the point of sale. Even at the time of purchase, it can be beneficial to discuss the planned ownership structure and future use with an advisor specializing in international real estate and tax matters.
Support for Swiss Buyers
Anyone wanting to buy a house in Florida shouldn't reduce the process to simply finding a beautiful property. The crucial factors are the interplay of location, purchase agreement, property inspection, financing, insurance, taxes, and subsequent management.If you are a Swiss buyer looking for a property in Florida and would like professional assistance with the purchase, you can find out more at https://florida-immobilien.ch/ .
For personal advice, you can reach the expert team at +41 79 950 19 57 or +1 954 224 6469. Alternatively, you can send your inquiry to [email protected] .
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