How do foreign nationals make bids on HUD homes?

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. Buyers of HUD homes need to have legal status in the United States in order to purchase as an owner occupant or investor. This means they need to have a registered individual tax identification at minimum to make a bid.

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 have an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) prior to submitting a bid. A copy of the ITIN letter from the IRS will be required to be submitted to HUD if the bid is accepted. Also, if the foreign national is intending to purchase a HUD Home as an owner occupant, the purchaser will be required 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 have an ITIN:
On the Bid Submission form (part 11), select the “Foreign ID” option. 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.

Buyers who do not 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