(Almost) Effortless U.S. Real Estate Investing for Global Buyers

In 2022, an Israel-based client of Nolan Cornu, an investment advisor with Graystone Investment Group, wanted to buy a duplex in Florida. The price was right, and Cornu’s client knew he needed to jump on the opportunity. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the capital, since he’d recently purchased two other properties. He needed a loan, and fast.

But securing one would be a challenge, as he and Cornu knew. Finding financing can be particularly difficult for overseas buyers. “Many lenders are stringent in their underwriting guidelines,” Cornu explains. “They make international buyers go through so many hoops.” From lending to closing, foreign nationals need to coordinate with multiple companies and providers. This involves time-consuming correspondence and, often, flights to the U.S. to sign paperwork.

Nolan Cornu

An end-to-end lending and closing process

Fortunately, Cornu’s client knew about Waltz, a Florida-based financial and real estate technology company that enables foreign nationals to purchase U.S. real estate through a streamlined process. By partnering with FDIC-insured Regent Bank and Currencycloud (a payment service and currency exchange company), Waltz handles everything from lending to closing. Working with Waltz, Cornu’s client was able to get a loan and close on the property in less than a month.

Since that first deal, Cornu has closed four more client transactions through the platform. “Waltz solves a massive problem for international clients,” Cornu says. “Buyers don’t have to put their own capital into deals. Waltz has opened a whole new pipeline in my business. I don’t have to shy away from working with international clients who don’t have millions of dollars liquid.”

Here’s how Waltz streamlines U.S. real estate purchases for foreign nationals:

• The overseas buyer uploads documents. Within about 20 minutes, they receive a U.S.-based LLC, with formation documents, an operating agreement, an EIN, a virtual U.S. business address and an FDIC-insured bank account. They also receive a mortgage pre-approval letter, so they can search for properties.
• The buyer decides to purchase a property and gets a mortgage through Waltz. In minutes, they can wire money or exchange currency.
• Featuring an automated workflow and built-in tracker, the platform takes them through the transaction step by step, from appraisal and inspection to title insurance and closing. At any point, the buyer and their real estate agent can check on the status and see which tasks need to be completed.
• The buyer can close in as few as 14 days, without needing to travel, make phone calls or send faxes.

Yuval Golan, founder and CEO of Waltz, explains: “There’s less paperwork and uncertainty and fewer hurdles because we concentrate the process in one place instead of 50 different places.”

By consolidating the lending and closing process into a single, seamless platform, the company is removing barriers and making it easier for foreign nationals to invest in U.S. properties. For advisors like Cornu, Waltz is more than just a tool—it’s a way to expand business opportunities and better serve international clients.

Dina Cheney is a Connecticut-based freelance writer

Florida Realtors® does not endorse or recommend products mentioned in this article.