South Florida’s real estate market has attracted a surplus level of attention from China, according to new data from the Miami Association of Realtors.
During January, China topped the list of all countries searching MiamiRealtors.com for properties, with four Chinese cities – Lanzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Qingdao – ranked among the top 10 international cities searching the site.
The elevated Chinese interest in South Florida real estate occurs despite Florida Senate Bill 264 (SB 264) that ban Chinese nationals without permanent US residency from buying property or land in Florida. That legislation is facing legal challenges that temporarily froze its enforcement.
“Asia represents the next major growth market for South Florida real estate,” Alfredo Pujol, chairman of the board of the realtor organization. “Asian buyers are increasingly focused on capital preservation, geographic diversification, and lifestyle-driven assets. Miami, the global city of the future, offers all three—plus home price appreciation, global brand recognition and more.”
South Florida’s foreign buyer share was 15% in 2025, which is seven times larger than the US figure (2%) and more than three times larger than Florida (5%). However, Chinese buyers were not fueling those numbers. The top countries for global buyers purchasing property in Miami were Colombia (15% of foreign buyer share), Argentina (12%), and Mexico and Brazil (tied at 7%).
