International home shopping activity in the U.S. softened slightly in the third quarter of 2025 but remained stronger than before the pandemic, according to Realtor.com data. Overseas buyers accounted for 1.5% of all U.S. online home search traffic, a statistic down a touch from 1.6% a year earlier, but still above the 1.2% recorded in late 2019.
Miami continued to dominate as the top destination for foreign buyers, capturing 8.4% of all international online views. New York followed at 5.6%, and Los Angeles at 4.8%, while Orlando and Dallas each drew 2.7%. These major metros have long appealed to international shoppers, who tend to seek higher-end homes tied to investment potential, professional opportunities, or lifestyle appeal.
Key Findings:
- In 2025Q3, international home shoppers made up 1.5% of online shopping demand.
- International shoppers flocked to Miami, FL (8.4% of international demand in the U.S.), followed by New York, NY (5.6%), and Los Angeles, CA (4.8%).
- International shoppers look at pricier homes than the typical U.S. shopper, but the price gap has narrowed in the past year.
- In 2025Q3, the median home viewed by international buyers in the 20 most popular U.S. markets was 29.8% more expensive than the median home viewed by domestic buyers.
- This gap is down from 34.2% as international buyers’ median-viewed prices fell faster.
- The price outlook for international shoppers is mixed as a variety of new policies will push international demand in opposing directions.
- Canada is the top source of international home shopping to the U.S. Nonetheless, the share of international online traffic from Canada declined from 36.6% in 2024Q3 to 32.1% in 2025Q3.
Share of Online Traffic From International Shoppers
It is worth noting here that the price gap between international and domestic buyers has narrowed. The median home viewed by international shoppers across the 20 most popular U.S. markets was about 29.8% pricier than those viewed by domestic buyers, a statistic that is down from 34.2% the year before. The smaller gap reflects a faster decline in the median price of homes viewed by international buyers, which fell 5.2% year-over-year compared with a 1.7% drop for domestic viewers. Economists attribute this flux to global currency fluctuations and weaker demand for luxury properties.
Los Angeles displayed the widest price disparity, with international shoppers viewing homes roughly 174 percent more expensive than those favored by domestic buyers. New York followed with a 49% difference, while San Francisco and Boston reported gaps of 33 and 24%, respectively. In contrast, Austin ranked fifth for price gap size, but for different reasons. (Its status as a growing innovation and employment hub has drawn more skilled international workers and investors seeking relative affordability.)
Top 10 Markets Loved by International Home Shoppers
| Rank | Market | Traffic Share | Median home viewed by international shoppers, 2025Q3 | Median home viewed by domestic shoppers, 2025Q3 | Price difference (%), 2025Q3 | Price difference (%), Q3 of 2022-2024 |
| 1 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 8.4% | $546,633 | $566,167 | -3.5% | -3.1% |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5.6% | $1,029,333 | $690,000 | 49.2% | 49.3% |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4.8% | $3,276,317 | $1,197,667 | 173.6% | 200.4% |
| 4 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 2.7% | $454,967 | $454,633 | 0.1% | 2.1% |
| 5 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas | 2.7% | $543,667 | $484,933 | 12.1% | 14.7% |
| 6 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2.3% | $405,000 | $362,667 | 11.7% | 15.1% |
| 7 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2.3% | $414,467 | $417,497 | -0.7% | 3.3% |
| 8 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1.9% | $431,300 | $392,967 | 9.8% | 11.3% |
| 9 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1.9% | $588,000 | $540,330 | 8.8% | 5.4% |
| 10 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1.5% | $481,666 | $448,300 | 7.4% | 14.4% |
Canada remains the leading source of foreign home search traffic, representing 32.1% of international views. But even that share declined from 36.6% a year ago as exchange rate volatility and trade tensions weighed on Canadian interest. The U.K., Mexico, Germany, and Australia rounded out the top five countries. Canadian shoppers remain especially drawn to Florida markets such as Cape Coral, North Port, and Tampa, although their share of traffic to those metros has dropped noticeably since 2024.
Looking forward, policy shifts could push international demand in opposite directions. New visa programs aimed at attracting high-net-worth individuals may drive luxury demand higher, while tighter restrictions on work visas could temper interest in tech-oriented cities especially.
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