Can Germans Buy a House in the Lowcountry? What to Know Before You Start

I get this question all the time, usually from a German friend, or from someone who found my page because they typed "German realtor Hilton Head" into Google. Can I even buy a house here if I am not a US citizen?

The short answer is yes. But I want to walk you through what that actually looks like, because the details matter more than the yes.

Yes, you can buy here

There is no citizenship requirement, no green card, and no visa needed to buy real estate in the United States. A German citizen can own a home in Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, or Beaufort exactly the same way an American can. You do not even need to live here. Plenty of my clients from Germany own a home in the Lowcountry and visit a few times a year, or rent it out until the day they move over for good.

How financing works without a US credit history

This is where it gets more real. If you pay cash, the process is simple, and about 56 percent of foreign buyers in the US do exactly that, according to the National Association of Realtors. If you need a loan, a standard US mortgage is hard to get without a US Social Security number, US credit history, or US income. Lenders who specialize in foreign national loans step in here. Expect a down payment of 25 to 40 percent, and a rate a bit higher than what a US resident would get. Some buyers who plan to rent the home out use a different kind of loan that qualifies you based on the property's rental income instead of your personal finances. I am not a lender, so I always connect my international clients with a mortgage broker who does this daily and knows the real numbers for your situation.

The cost people forget about: FIRPTA

Here is one most people do not hear about until it is too late. When you sell a US property as a foreign owner, the buyer is required to withhold 15 percent of the sale price and send it to the IRS. This is not an extra tax, it is a prepayment that gets reconciled when you file. But if you do not plan for it, it can be a surprise at closing. A good accountant who works with international sellers can walk you through this before you ever list, not after.

Why so many Germans look at the Lowcountry

Foreign buyers purchased 56 billion dollars worth of US homes in the year through March 2025, up 33 percent from the year before, so interest from abroad is clearly growing again. The good news on travel: there are nonstop flights from several of Germany's bigger cities, like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, to major US hubs like Atlanta, Charlotte, or New York City. From any of those, a short connecting flight gets you to Savannah or Hilton Head Island Airport. But once you land, the slower pace, the water, and the oak trees do the rest. I felt that myself when I came here from Berlin. It is not a quick trip, but it is worth it.

My honest advice

Start before you need a house. Talk to a mortgage broker who works with foreign nationals, and to an accountant who understands FIRPTA, months before you are ready to make an offer. The real estate part is often the easiest piece once the financing and the tax side are lined up.

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Warm regards,
Loni 

If you are a German citizen thinking about buying a home in Bluffton, on Hilton Head Island, or in Beaufort, reach out anytime. I have been on both sides of this move, and I am glad to walk you through it.

This article was created with the help of AI and reviewed by Loni Lueke, The German Realtor.