AUSTIN, Texas — International homebuyers contributed $613 million to the region’s economy from April 2021 to March 2022, according to the 2022 Central Texas International Homebuyers Report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS®. For the first time in this report, Indian homebuyers comprised the largest share of international homebuyers in Central Texas (21%), with Mexico (10%), China (6%) and Canada (4%) rounding out the top four countries of origin for foreign buyers.

“Our region has worked hard to establish itself as a global destination for job creation and capital investment for the last 20 years,” Cord Shiflet, 2022 ABoR president, said. “That only works if people want to live here. Our quality of life and economic opportunity make us one of the most desirable places to live in the world, and we’re seeing that reflected in a consistent level of international homebuyers purchasing property here. This is another sign of Austin’s evolution from a college town into a global economic and lifestyle destination.”

The $613 million in sales dollar volume from foreign buyers represented 3% of all residential sales dollar volume in the Austin-Round Rock MSA from April 2021–March 2022. The median home price among foreign buyers was $513,900, which is notably higher than the median sales price of foreign buyers nationally ($366,100) and slightly higher than the Austin-Round Rock MSA median price during the survey period ($500,000).

For the third consecutive year, ABoR partnered with the National Association of REALTORS® to conduct a comprehensive survey of Central Texas REALTORS®as part of its nationwide Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate. Agents specializing in global real estate reported significant growth in international transactions as a portion of their business –from 19% in 2021 to 41% in 2022.

“As COVID-19 travel restrictions have been lifted, REALTORS® are seeing international homebuying and selling activity begin to return to pre-pandemic levels,” Jefre Outlaw, 2022 ABoR global advisory group chair, said. “The dream of purchasing an international property or relocating to a new global destination is now more accessible, which may be why the data shows a spike in the number of international buyers who are relocating to Central Texas with their purchase.”

In a marked change from last year’s report, only 3% of international buyers purchased a Central Texas home to use as a vacation home or rental property, compared to 59% for a new primary residence. Additionally, the report found that 63% of foreign buyers in Central Texas utilized a U.S. mortgage to finance the property compared to 57% in 2020 and 54% in 2021.

“As our region continues to grow as a global destination, our business and real estate communities must evolve to become more globally minded as well,” added Outlaw. “ABoR’sCentral Texas International Homebuyers Report is a vital tool to help real estate professionals understand our diversifying marketplace and better serve homebuyers from around the world.”

To download the full 2022 Central Texas International Homebuyers Report or to stay connected with international real estate news through the ABoR GlobalBusiness Alliance, visit www.ABoR.com/Global.

The Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the needs of Central Texas REALTORS® and homebuyers, sellers, and renters for nearly a century. Through professional development, grassroots advocacy, and community, we give our 14,000+ members the power they need to ensure people have homes. Our multiple listing services (MLS) connects both agents and consumers with the most accurate and robust real estate marketplace in the region. For more information, contact the ABoR public relations team at  abor@echristianpr.com. For the latest local housing market listings, visit AustinHomeSearch.com.