Where can a foreigner buy a home? 66 places, by passport, 2026

By place

The rule, place by place.

Europe

Place	Foreign buyers	By passport	Tax on the purchase
Lugano	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	13‰, above CHF 2 million, 11‰ below
Lake Como	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
St. Moritz	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	Up to 2%, communal cap on market value, buyer pays
Portofino	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Capri	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Zurich	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	None, no transfer tax since 1 January 2005
Amalfi Coast	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Porto Cervo	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Tuscany	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Zug	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	CHF 180/hour, land registry fee, factor 4 on a transfer
Gstaad	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	1.8%, of the price, paid by the buyer
Zermatt	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	1.5%, above CHF 1 million, paid by the buyer
Verbier	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	1.5%, above CHF 1 million, paid by the buyer
Kitzbühel	Approval, for nationals of countries outside the EU and EEA	EU: No approval	3.5%, of the price, all parties liable
Cortina d'Ampezzo	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Lucerne	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	1.5%, of the transfer value, paid by the buyer
Montreux	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	2.2%, cantonal, paid by the buyer
Forte dei Marmi	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Venice	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Hvar	Reciprocity, non-EU buyers need Ministry consent	EU: Same as locals. Swiss: Same as locals	3%, of market value, paid by the buyer
Limassol	Permit, Council of Ministers consent, filed with the District Officer		3% to 8%, Land Registry transfer fee, halved
Valletta	AIP permit, Minister's permit for non-residents	EU: No permit	5%, on the price or value, if higher
Geneva	Approval, for a buyer who is a person abroad	EU: No approval. Swiss: No approval. Any other: Approval	3%, of the price on every property sale
Vaduz	Approval, every land purchase needs approval	EU: As citizens
Jersey	Status needed, Entitled or Licensed residents may buy		Up to 11%, stamp duty on a main home, by band
Vienna	Approval, for nationals of countries outside the EU and EEA	EU: No approval	3.5%, of the price, all parties liable
Milan	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller
Rome	Reciprocity, same right for Italians in buyer's country	EU: No limit. Swiss: Reciprocity	9%, registration tax, private seller

See these 2 places for your own income.Lugano and Lake Como, side by side on your income, passports and family. Free, in the ranking of all 100. Then the Dossier: a written report in 10 chapters on the 3 places that rank first for you. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 30 November.

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Americas

Place	Foreign buyers	By passport	Tax on the purchase	Extra for a foreign buyer
Miami	7 countries, domiciled buyers face limits	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	$0.60, per $100 in Miami-Dade, single-family
Palm Beach	7 countries, domiciled buyers face limits	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	$0.70, per $100 of the price on the deed
The Hamptons	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.4% + 1%, state transfer tax and mansion tax
New York	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.65%, state transfer tax at $3M+, seller pays
Bal Harbour	7 countries, domiciled buyers face limits	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	$0.60, per $100 in Miami-Dade, single-family
Naples	7 countries, domiciled buyers face limits	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	$0.70, per $100 of the price on the deed
Coral Gables	7 countries, domiciled buyers face limits	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	$0.60, per $100 in Miami-Dade, single-family
Aspen	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		1.5%, city transfer taxes, paid by the buyer
Montecito	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review
Malibu	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.11%, LA County tax, no city transfer tax
Beverly Hills	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.11%, LA County tax, no city transfer tax
Las Vegas	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.51%, $2.55 per $500, buyer and seller liable
Newport Beach	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.11%, Orange County tax, no city tax listed
San Francisco	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.75% to 6%, city transfer tax from $1 million
Maui	No ban, a home is outside federal CFIUS review		0.4% to 1.25%, conveyance tax from $1M, seller pays
Dallas	Open to most, bars buyers tied to designated countries	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	None, no transfer tax on a home sale
Austin	Open to most, bars buyers tied to designated countries	EU: No ban. UK: No ban. US: No ban. Swiss: No ban. UAE: No ban. Canadian: No ban. Australian: No ban. Singapore: No ban. Japanese: No ban. Israeli: No ban	None, no transfer tax on a home sale
Punta del Este	No permit, same treatment as Uruguayan investors		2%, paid by the buyer, plus 2% by the seller
Los Cabos	Bank trust, fideicomiso, SRE permit, up to 50 years		3%, of the highest value, paid by the buyer
Tulum	Bank trust, fideicomiso, SRE permit, up to 50 years		4%, of the highest value, paid by the buyer
Cancún	Bank trust, fideicomiso, SRE permit, up to 50 years		3%, of the highest value, paid by the buyer
Panama City	Allowed, barred only within 10 km of the borders		2%, transfer tax, return filed by the seller
Buenos Aires	Same as locals, may own, buy and sell real estate		3.5%, stamp duty above ARS 226,100,000
Tucker's Town	License, for a restricted person to acquire land
Virgin Gorda	License needed, Non-Belonger Land Holding License
Casa de Campo	Passport, foreign parties file a passport		3%, of the property value, plus RD$20
St John's	License, for a non-citizen to hold land		$2.50 per $100, of value, plus $5.00 per $100 from the vendor on land	7%, license stamp duty on market value, freehold

Asia and the Gulf

Place	Foreign buyers	By passport	Tax on the purchase	Extra for a foreign buyer
Dubai	Freehold, in areas the Ruler designates		4%, 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller
Singapore	Condos open, landed homes need SLA approval	US: As citizen. Swiss: As citizen	1% to 6%, buyer's stamp duty, 6% above SGD 3M	60%, ABSD on any residential purchase
Abu Dhabi	Zones only, full ownership inside investment areas
Tel Aviv	ILA approval, for rights in Israel Lands to a foreigner		0% to 10%, single apartment of an Israeli resident
Tokyo	Report, non-residents report within 20 days		2%, registration tax on assessed value
Phuket	Condo only, land closed, 49% foreign quota per condo
Bali	Hak Pakai, right of use, up to 30 years at first
Bangkok	Condo only, land closed, 49% foreign quota per condo

Oceania

Place	Foreign buyers	By passport	Tax on the purchase	Extra for a foreign buyer
Bora Bora	Approval, non-EU buyers, Council of Ministers	EU: No approval
Sydney	Banned, established homes, until 30 June 2029		7%, NSW premium duty above AUD 3.87M	9%, NSW surcharge purchaser duty
Queenstown	Banned, most overseas buyers cannot buy homes	Australian: No consent. Singapore: No consent

Published rules only, as each source states them on the day it was checked, with the source on each place's page. Patrician.ch lists no property and takes no part in any sale. Not tax, legal or financial advice.

What the house costs to hold in the US: property tax on a $5M home. Switzerland in detail: Lex Koller.

Questions

The short answers.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Zurich?

Under the federal Lex Koller, a foreign national living abroad needs approval from the cantonal authority to buy a home. A holiday home is possible only in a place the canton designates as a tourist location, within a yearly federal quota, with net living area generally up to 200 m². Owning property gives no right to a residence permit.

Source: Federal Office of Justice, leaflet Erwerb von Grundstücken durch Personen im Ausland (status 17.04.2026), based on BewG SR 211.412.41, checked 30 October 2026.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Dubai?

Ownership of real property in Dubai is restricted to UAE and GCC nationals and their companies. Under Article 4, non-UAE nationals may, with the Ruler's approval, hold freehold without time limit, or usufruct or leasehold of up to 99 years, in the areas the Ruler designates.

Source: Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 Concerning Real Property Registration in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 4, checked 4 November 2026.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Miami?

A person domiciled in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela under the Maduro regime or Syria who is not a US citizen or permanent resident may not buy property on or within 10 miles of a military installation or critical infrastructure facility, and a person domiciled in China may not buy Florida real property at all. Either may buy 1 home of up to 2 acres more than 5 miles from a military installation when holding a US visa not limited to tourism, and registers it within 30 days. Every buyer signs an affidavit at closing, and the 11th Circuit left these rules in force on 4 November 2025 (Shen v. Simpson).

Source: Florida Statutes 692.201 to 692.204 (2026 edition), and US Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, Shen v. Simpson, No. 23-12737, checked 30 October 2026.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Singapore?

A foreigner may buy a condominium unit, or a strata landed house inside an approved condominium, without approval. Vacant residential land and terrace, semi-detached and detached houses need approval from the Singapore Land Authority. Landed homes at Sentosa Cove are on the approval list.

Source: Singapore Land Authority, Foreign ownership of property (Residential Property Act), checked 30 October 2026.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Sydney?

Foreign persons, including temporary residents, cannot buy an established dwelling from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, with limited exceptions. The ban was extended from its earlier end date of 31 March 2027. Temporary residents may still apply for approval to buy new dwellings or vacant land.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Types of property you can buy, checked 30 October 2026.

Can a foreigner buy a home in Queenstown?

Overseas people usually cannot buy a house or land in New Zealand. A residence class visa holder who is not yet ordinarily resident may apply for consent to buy 1 home. A qualifying investor visa holder may seek consent to buy or build a home above NZD 5 million.

Source: Land Information New Zealand, Overseas Investment Office, Buying residential property to live in, checked 30 October 2026.

The Dossier: your top 3, on your numbers.A written report on the 3 places that rank first for you, compared line by line on your income, a sale, your passports and your family. 10 chapters, written the moment you pay. Every tax figure carries its official source and the date it was last checked. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 30 November. Refunded in full within 7 days of delivery, no reason needed.

Read chapters 1 to 3, free →

Where a foreigner can buy a home.