United States
North & Central America76 independent articlesThe world's deepest, most liquid second-home market — from ski chalets to beach condos.
The U.S. offers unmatched depth, transparency and liquidity for vacation property, spanning alpine ski towns, sun-belt beaches, desert golf resorts and lake country. Financing is available to foreigners, title insurance is standard, and the short-term-rental infrastructure is the most developed on earth — though city and county STR rules vary enormously and are tightening in hotspots.
Can foreigners buy?
Open to foreigners with no restriction on residential purchases; financing available (typically 30– 40% down for non-residents). Diligence: county-level STR permits.
Taxes & buying costs
Closing costs ~2–5%; annual property tax ~0.5–2.5% of value (state-dependent); rental income taxed by IRS (file 1040-NR); estate- tax exposure for non-residents — structure carefully.
What makes it unique
Scale, liquidity, legal certainty and the world's most mature holiday- rental ecosystem.
1
Most prestigious places to own
Aspen & Vail, Colorado
Trophy ski real estate; scarce land, celebrity cachet, year-round appeal.
$4m–$25m+
Ski-in/ski-out chalet or luxury condo
The Hamptons, New York
The classic East-Coast summer colony; oceanfront estates and shingle-style manors.
$3m–$40m+
Oceanfront/village estate
Malibu & Montecito, California
Pacific-front celebrity enclaves with strict supply.
$5m–$50m+
Beachfront or hillside villa
Palm Beach, Florida
Old-money island; no state income tax draws wealth migration.
$3m–$50m+
Intracoastal or oceanfront estate
2
Best income potential from vacation renting
Orlando / Kissimmee, Florida
Disney-driven, year-round demand; purpose-built vacation-home communities (Reunion, ChampionsGate).
$400k–$900k
6–10% gross
4–8 bed pool villa
Gulf Coast: 30A & Destin, Florida
Premium beach short-lets with strong ADRs and license-friendly counties.
$700k–$2.5m
5–8% gross
Beach cottage / condo
Smoky Mountains: Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN
America's cabin-rental capital; no state income tax, permissive STR.
$450k–$1.2m
8–12% gross
Log cabin (2–5 bed)
Scottsdale, Arizona
Golf/spa winter demand; deep event calendar.
$600k–$1.8m
5–8% gross
Desert villa / casita
3
Picturesque farms & rural tourism properties
Napa & Sonoma, California
Wine-country estates with vineyard acreage and cellar-door tourism.
$3m–$30m
Agritourism + wine income
Vineyard estate
Texas Hill Country
Ranches near Fredericksburg wine trail; hunting and event-barn income.
$1m–$10m
Hunting/agritourism
Ranch (20–500+ acres)
Hudson Valley & Berkshires
Farmhouses and gentleman's farms two hours from NYC; strong farm-stay demand.
$700k–$4m
Farm-stay income
Restored farmhouse / small farm
Thinking of living there?
United States residency and citizenship guide
Visas, work permits and the routes to a passport — separate from buying.
Everything on United States
All stories →Portugal Property in US Dollars: What American Buyers Get for Their Money in 2026July 2026Albania, Northern Cyprus & Montenegro Property: Yields vs. Costa del Sol 2026July 2026Caribbean CBI in 2026: The US Visa Bond Changes Everything — What's Left and What Isn'tJuly 2026Panama's $500,000 Deadline: Why October 15 Is the Most Important Date in Residency Planning Right NowJuly 2026Owning a Coffee Farm in Hawaii: A Guide to Fee Simple and Other Legal ModelsJuly 2026Heritage Villas Valriche, Mauritius: IRS-Certified Beach Villas at the Southern Coast's Finest EstateJuly 2026Anahita Golf & Spa, Mauritius: Four Seasons–Adjacent IRS Villas on the East Coast LagoonJuly 2026Mon Choisy Le Parc, Mauritius: Smart City Freehold Villas on the Most Popular North Coast BeachJuly 2026Costa Navarino, Messinia: Greece's Most Ambitious Sustainable Resort CommunityJuly 2026Las Catalinas, Costa Rica: A Planned Beach Town Built for Holiday HomeownersJuly 2026Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Residences: Hyatt-Branded Luxury in GuanacasteJuly 2026Nimbayú, Osa Peninsula: Rainforest Villas at the Edge of the WildJuly 2026Telluride Ski Ranches, Colorado: Mountain Land for Custom Ski ChaletsJuly 2026Deer Valley Club, Park City: Ski-In/Ski-Out Condominiums at America's Most Refined ResortJuly 2026WaterColor, Florida: New Urbanist Beach Cottages on the Emerald CoastJuly 2026Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina: A 20,000-Acre Lowcountry MasterplanJuly 2026Rosewood Residences Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit: Clifftop Villas in Mexico's New Luxury CorridorJuly 2026La Veleta, Tulum: Curated Eco-Villas in Mexico's Bohemian JungleJuly 2026Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Los Cabos: Auberge-Branded Oceanfront OwnershipJuly 2026Pre-Fabricated Holiday Homes: Are Modular Builds Now a Serious Option for International Buyers?July 2026Do You Have to Declare Foreign Property? Tax Reporting Rules for UK, US & Australian BuyersJuly 2026How to Host Like a Local: Entertaining in Your Holiday Home Without Being the Obvious ForeignerJune 2026The Florida Market in 2026: Has Miami Peaked, or Is This a Buying Opportunity?May 2026Buying Off-Plan in Mexico's Riviera Maya: What Foreign Buyers Need to KnowApril 2026Overseas Property Investment 2026: Miami vs Panama City — Two Very Different Investment CasesApril 2026Noi Residences José Ignacio, Uruguay: Understated Luxury on the Atlantic PampasJuly 2025Casa Malca Private Residences Tulum, Mexico: Boutique Beach Living in the Riviera Maya's Art CapitalJune 2025Heritage Villas Valriche, Bel Ombre Mauritius: Conservation Estate Living on the Southern RivieraJune 2025W Residences Bogotá, Colombia: Latin America's Most Dynamic City Comes of AgeJune 2025Rosewood Residences Vancouver, Canada: West Coast Elegance on Coal HarbourJune 2025
Indicative 2025–26 planning bands for screening only, not quotes and not advice. Holiday-let licensing, tax and foreign-buyer rules change frequently — confirm locally with a lawyer and tax adviser before buying.