Chilean investors bring some of Latin America’s most disciplined capital to Florida real estate — and you can buy, finance, and eventually sell a US rental without ever holding a US credit score. The cycle has three chapters: buying in dollars, financing on the property’s rent, and planning for FIRPTA at the exit. Buyers from Santiago, Viña del Mar, and Concepción usually arrive with the first chapter solved. The other two chapters — plus a tax treaty most of Latin America does not have — are where planning protects the profit.
Why Chilean investors choose Florida
A rental in South Florida earns in dollars while the peso follows copper prices up and down, and it can be managed entirely from Chile. Brickell, Sunny Isles Beach, and Coral Gables attract steady Chilean buyers, Spanish-speaking property managers are easy to find, and direct flights link Santiago and Miami overnight. For families and family offices that already keep dollars abroad, a Florida property turns idle capital into monthly income.
Financing without a US credit score
Paying all cash is optional. 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. Test your target property with our DSCR calculator before you sign a contract.
Building a file the lender can verify
For most Chilean investors, the paper trail decides the timeline — not the income math. Lenders and title companies will ask for:
- Seasoned dollars: funds already sitting in a US or international account close fastest and cleanest.
- A clear trail: statements showing where the down payment has lived and how it moved.
- A bank reference: a letter from your Chilean bank or an international credit report stands in for FICO.
- A remote closing plan: sign at the US Embassy in Santiago, or apostille the package under a power of attorney.
FIRPTA and the US–Chile tax treaty
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. Chile stands apart here: a US–Chile income tax treaty has been in force since the end of 2023, one of the very few in Latin America. The treaty does not waive the withholding, but it confirms how the gain is taxed and supports the credit you claim in Chile, where the SII taxes residents on worldwide income. This article is general information, not tax advice; we coordinate with cross-border CPAs on every file.
A typical deal
A couple from Santiago buys a $410,000 condo in Brickell with dollars held abroad for years. They put 30 percent down and finance $287,000 with a foreign national DSCR loan; the rent schedule shows $3,150 against a $2,680 full payment — a 1.18 DSCR. They sign at the US Embassy in Santiago and never change their travel plans. Six years later they sell for $495,000: a Form 8288-B filed before closing caps the withholding near their actual tax of about $15,000, instead of $74,250 locked up for a year, and their cross-border CPA credits the US tax paid on the Chilean return.
Investing from Chile?
Alpha Equity Lending works with Chilean 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.
