Dallas, Texas · International buyers
Buying this home from outside the United States
No citizenship required, no visa required, and no listing agent in the middle. A renovated single-family home in the Dallas metroplex at $525,000, sold directly by its owner.
The basics
Foreign buyers can own US homes outright
The United States places no citizenship or residency requirement on owning residential real estate. You do not need a visa to buy, and you do not need to live in the country to hold title. Purchases are made in your own name or through an entity, and the deed is recorded in the county where the property sits — here, Dallas County, Texas.
One thing buying does not do: it grants no immigration status and no right to live in the United States. Those are entirely separate matters, handled by immigration counsel. Rules can also differ by state and by property type, so have a US attorney confirm your specific situation before you commit funds.
How it works
The purchase, step by step
The same sequence a domestic buyer follows, with a few adjustments for distance.
1. See the house remotely
Start with the professional walkthrough film, 36 photos, room dimensions, and floor plans on the listing page. Then ask the owner for a live video walkthrough at your local time — camera pointed wherever you want it.
2. Make a written offer
A Texas real estate attorney prepares the contract. There is no listing brokerage, so terms are discussed with the owner directly. Cash or conventional financing both work.
3. Escrow at a title company
Earnest money goes to a title company, not to the seller. The title company runs the title search, issues title insurance, and holds all funds until closing conditions are met.
4. Inspect during the option period
You may hire your own licensed inspector, and doing so is encouraged. If you cannot attend, inspectors provide photographed written reports, and many will walk you through findings on a call.
5. Fund the purchase
Funds are wired to the title company’s escrow account. Your own bank handles the currency exchange. Confirm wire instructions by phone with the title company directly — wire fraud in real estate is real, and instructions sent by email should never be trusted on their own.
6. Sign from where you are
Signing from abroad is usually handled through notarization at a US embassy or consulate, an apostilled notarization under the Hague Convention, or a power of attorney granted to someone in the US. Agree the method with the title company early, not at the end.
Money and paperwork
What to line up before you offer
Proof of funds. A recent bank statement or a lender pre-approval letter accompanies any serious offer. For a cash purchase, showing cleared, available funds is what moves an owner quickly.
Financing, if you want it. Some US lenders run foreign national mortgage programs for buyers without US credit history. These generally ask for a larger down payment and more documentation, and they take longer than a domestic loan — worth starting before you make an offer rather than after.
A US tax identification number. Non-resident owners commonly need an ITIN for tax filings connected to the property. Your cross-border tax professional will tell you whether and when you need one.
Your own professionals. At minimum: a Texas real estate attorney and a tax adviser familiar with non-resident US property ownership. When a foreign owner eventually sells US real estate, federal withholding rules apply to the sale — something to understand at purchase, not at exit. Nothing on this page is legal or tax advice.
The property
What you would be buying
719 Northill Dr, Richardson, Texas — a suburb 14 miles north of downtown Dallas, in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
A freehold single-family house on its own fenced lot — not an apartment, not a leasehold, no shared building costs and no HOA. Fully renovated: brand-new HVAC and stainless appliances, new stone counters, designer lighting, new flooring throughout, two rebuilt bathrooms, a wood-burning fireplace, a 30-foot covered patio, a covered balcony, and a 2-car garage. The house is vacant, so possession comes at closing with no tenant or seller to move out.
Location matters for resale and for tenants: US-75 at the neighborhood’s edge, DART commuter rail one block east, downtown Richardson across the highway, the University of Texas at Dallas minutes away, and Richardson’s technology and corporate corridor just north.
Ongoing
What ownership costs after closing
Property tax
Texas has no state income tax and funds local government largely through annual property tax, so rates are higher than in many countries and US states. Confirm current rates with the county appraisal district.
Insurance
Homeowners insurance is required by lenders and sensible without one. North Texas policies account for hail and wind.
No HOA dues
This property has no homeowners association, so there are no monthly or annual association fees and no architectural approval process.
Management, if unoccupied
Non-resident owners who will not live in the home typically retain a local property manager for maintenance, and for leasing if the home is to be rented.
The payment calculator on the listing page estimates a monthly figure including taxes and insurance.
Ask the owner directly.
Send your questions and your time zone — a live video walkthrough can be arranged for your local evening.
Contact the owner