Fully 60% of homes purchased in the U.S. by foreigners are paid for in cash. Some of that, of course, is rich people abroad making investments. But much of it is from people who have green cards or valid work visas, and simply (and incorrectly) think it’s impossible for them to get a mortgage. The reality is, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have pretty much the same requirements for permanent residents and those with valid work visas as they do for natural citizens. Investopedia walks through this in more detail, including some hurdles that are real, but the bottom line is you probably don’t have to save 100% of the purchase price of a home in order to get one.
