Argentinian Investors in Florida: Buying, Financing, and FIRPTA

Argentinian investors have treated Florida real estate as a dollar refuge for decades — and today you can buy, finance, and eventually sell a US rental without ever holding a US credit score. The playbook has three chapters: buying in dollars, financing on the property’s rent, and planning for FIRPTA at the exit. Families from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Rosario know the first chapter well. The other two chapters are where good planning saves real money.

Why Argentinian investors choose Florida

A rental in South Florida earns in dollars, sits outside the reach of inflation and the cepo, and can be managed entirely from abroad. Neighborhoods like Aventura, Key Biscayne, and Brickell hold deep Argentinian communities, Spanish-speaking property managers, and steady tenant demand. For savers who already keep dollars outside Argentina, a Florida property turns idle cash into monthly income.

Financing without a US credit score

You do not need to pay all cash. Foreign national loans qualify the property instead of the borrower: the appraiser prepares a market-rent schedule, the lender compares that rent to the full monthly payment, and a DSCR of 1.0 or better carries the file. Plan on 25 to 30 percent down, reserves of 6 to 12 months, and pricing slightly above resident programs. Run your target property through our DSCR calculator before you sign a contract.

Moving money the lender can verify

For most Argentinian investors, the paper trail is the hardest part of the file — not the income math. Lenders and title companies will ask for:

• Seasoned dollars: funds already sitting in a US or foreign account close fastest and cleanest.
• A clear trail: statements that show where the down payment has lived and how it moved.
• A bank reference: a letter from your bank or an international credit report stands in for FICO.
• A remote closing plan: sign at the US consulate in Buenos Aires, or apostille the package under a power of attorney.

FIRPTA when you sell

The exit is where planning pays most. FIRPTA lets the IRS withhold up to 15 percent of the gross sales price at closing — a deposit against your real tax, not the tax itself. Our guide on what is FIRPTA covers the mechanics, and a Form 8288-B filed before closing can reduce FIRPTA withholding to your actual expected tax. Argentina has no comprehensive income-tax treaty with the United States, and the property must also be reported at home, so both sides of the file belong with a cross-border CPA. This article is general information, not tax advice; we coordinate with cross-border CPAs on every file.

A typical deal

A family from Buenos Aires buys a $380,000 condo in Aventura with dollars held in a Miami account for years. They put 30 percent down and finance $266,000 with a foreign national DSCR loan; the rent schedule shows $2,850 against a $2,420 full payment — a 1.18 DSCR. They sign with an apostilled power of attorney and never board a plane. Five years later they sell for $460,000: a Form 8288-B filed before closing caps the withholding near their actual tax of about $14,000, instead of $69,000 locked up for a year.

Investing from Argentina?

Alpha Equity Lending works with Argentinian investors across South Florida — financing without US credit, ITIN timing, and FIRPTA planning alongside your cross-border CPA. Tell us about your target property through our submit your deal page and we will map the whole cycle with you — in English or Spanish.

Have more questions? Our foreign national mortgage FAQ answers the 30 questions investors ask most, from down payment and reserves to FIRPTA and estate tax.

By Andres Jara — Alpha Equity Lending (NMLS #1855083). 20+ years in real estate finance, an MS in Finance, and an active South Florida investor and landlord.