Transaction volume climbed even as the national cross-border market shed 19% in spending
Even as international home buying contracted across the US, one state posted a volume increase.
International buyers closed on approximately 7,780 residential transactions in Texas, up 4% from 7,500 the year before, even as their total spending in the state fell 17% to $4 billion, according to the 2026 Texas International Residential Transactions Report from Texas Realtors.
Lower median prices, not softening demand, drove the dollar-volume decline.
The Lone Star State captured 12% of all US international home purchases, placing third nationally behind Florida (20%) and California (19%).
Mexico leads, India rises
Mexico remained the dominant country of origin for Texas international buyers, accounting for 35% of purchases, up from 30% a year ago.
Texas and California tied as the most popular US destinations for Mexican buyers, each drawing 29% of that group's nationwide total.
India moved up to second place at 14%, displacing Canada from the top five entirely. China (9%), Nigeria (5%), and the United Kingdom (5%) rounded out the rankings.
The median price paid by international buyers fell roughly 11% to $375,000, down from $420,800 the prior year, though it held $41,400 above the $333,600 statewide median for all Texas homes sold over the same period.
As international home demand shifts away from traditional coastal markets, Texas has emerged as a relative beneficiary, particularly as affordability pressures in California continue to redirect where global buyers look first.
Texas international residential buyers — April 2025 to March 2026
Source: 2026 Texas International Residential Transactions Report, Texas Realtors. Survey research by the National Association of Realtors Research Group.
Who is buying and what they're buying
Most international buyers in Texas, or 62%, were residents living on visas or as recent immigrants rather than non-resident foreign nationals.
Primary residences accounted for 57% of purchases, and detached single-family homes made up 83% of transactions.
Suburban locations drew 58% of buyers, and 38% paid all cash.
For clients who did not ultimately purchase, cost, lack of suitable inventory, and immigration laws each deterred 27% of prospective buyers, a notable shift from the prior year, when financing access ranked among the top barriers at 19%.
As the Texas housing market cools from its pandemic-era peak prices, the recalibrated environment appears to be widening the pool of international interest even as it compresses per-transaction values.
"The relative affordability in Texas is one reason for high international interest, but our strong economy and quality of life are also persuasive recruiting tools on the world stage," said Jennifer Wauhob, 2026 chairman of Texas Realtors.
"Texas remains one of the most sought-after destinations in the country, and a Texas Realtor is the professional who can guide an international client through any type of transaction."
For brokers with cross-border clients, the data points to a shifting buyer profile: more resident-based transactions with financing needs, a broader origin mix, and growing immigration-policy sensitivity as a deal-level barrier.
With US homes losing their global appeal as international spending plunges 19% at the national level, Texas's transaction volume gains carry outsized weight for loan officers serving international clientele.
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