HUD homes may be purchased by residents of other countries (referred to as foreign nationals), provided they can secure financing or pay cash for the property. Please note that when a bid for a foreign national is submitted, a valid identification number must be entered into the Social Security Number field. If the purchaser does not have or is not able to obtain a Social Security Number, they must contact the IRS to obtain an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) prior to submitting a bid, and must provide a copy of the ITIN if their bid is accepted. Also, if the foreign national is intending to purchase a HUD Home as an owner occupant, the purchaser may require to show proof of ability to live in the U.S. in order to satisfy the minimum one (1) year occupancy requirement (e.g., permanent residency card, work visa, etc.).
Foreign buyers who don’t have a SSN or an EIN number, or those who don’t have an address in the United States, are still eligible to purchase HUD properties.
If the buyer doesn’t have an SSN or EIN: On the Bid Submission form (part 11), select the “Foreign ID” option. Agents can now type up to 15 letters and numbers of a purchaser’s foreign identification in the SSN/EIN/ID# field. Only letters or numbers are allowed. A copy of the buyer’s identification will be required when sending in the contract package.
If the buyer doesn’t have a US address: For the required State and ZIP Code fields, use the state and ZIP code of the property you are bidding on. Then fill the Address and City fields with the buyer’s non-US address information.