Closing from abroad, without traveling to the United States

The three ways to sign

A warning that saves grief: a power of attorney drafted by a notary in your country, without prior review by the title company here, is the number one cause of postponed closings among buyers from abroad. The wording has to say exactly what the transaction needs. Getting it pre-approved costs one email.

Documents and translations

• A valid passport. The name has to match exactly what goes on the deed. One accent or one extra surname creates last-minute corrections.
• Proof of address. A recent utility bill in your name.
• An apostille, where it applies. If you sign before a local notary, the document normally needs a Hague convention apostille to be valid here.
• Certified translation. Documents in another language usually require a certified translation. Obtaining one takes longer than people expect.
• A mailing address for the courier. If the signing package travels physically, count three to seven days per leg, in each direction.

The money: where the most care is needed

Wire fraud is the most common crime in US real estate, and it always works the same way: someone intercepts the email thread and sends false wire instructions, formatted identically to the real ones. Money wired to a fraudulent account is almost never recovered.

• Confirm the instructions by voice. Call the title company at a number you already had, not the one in the email, and verify bank, account number and beneficiary by reading them aloud.
• Distrust any last-minute change. An email saying the account has changed is, until proven otherwise, an attempted fraud.
• Wire a full business day early. International wires take one to three business days and can be held for review. Arriving exactly on closing day risks postponing it.
• Tell your bank in advance. A large international wire with no prior notice is routinely frozen by the sending bank's internal controls.
• Keep the paper trail on the source of funds. The title company is required to document where the money came from. Having the statements ready prevents delays.

A US bank account: not required, but it helps

You can buy and close without an account here, wiring from your own bank. What is hard without a local account is everything afterward: paying HOA, insurance, utilities and, if you financed, the monthly payment. An international wire every month is expensive and inconvenient.

Several banks open accounts for non-residents with a passport and proof of address, some requiring one in-person visit. The best time to deal with it is while the home is being built, when there is no rush.

How I see the home in your place

Not traveling does not mean buying blind. What I do with clients abroad is a live video walkthrough, not a recorded clip: I go into the home and the neighborhood with the call open, so you can ask me to move closer to whatever interests you and ask questions in the moment.

• A walk of the community with the surroundings, the access roads and what is being built around the lot.
• The model home pointing out what is included finish and what is a paid upgrade.
• Construction stages if the home is being built, with dated photos and the private inspector's report.
• The final walkthrough before closing with the punch list, reviewed with you live.

The calendar I recommend

General information about the Florida closing process, current as of November 2026. Not legal advice. The signing method valid for your transaction is determined by the title company and the lender, and consular requirements vary by country.