Buying in Lake Havasu City as a Canadian

Short answer: yes, Canadians can buy in Arizona, with no special permit and no restrictions on ownership. What changes is the financing, the paperwork and the taxes. Plan for all three before you fall for a house.

Every winter, a lot of Havasu’s license plates say Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Plenty of those snowbirds eventually stop renting and want a place of their own. This is the guide I walk my Canadian buyers through, in the order the questions usually come up.

Four Ways Canadians Pay for a Havasu Home

1. Borrow at home and buy with cash here

This is the most common route I see. You take a line of credit or refinance on your Canadian home, move the money south, and show up as a cash buyer. It’s usually the cheapest money available to you, the closing is simpler and faster, and a cash offer is the strongest one a seller can get. The trade-off is currency risk: you owe in Canadian dollars and own in U.S. dollars.

2. A foreign national mortgage from a U.S. lender

Most Canadians can’t get a standard U.S. mortgage, because those programs are built for U.S. citizens and residents. Foreign national loans fill the gap. They don’t need a U.S. credit score, but they ask for more:

• A bigger down payment, commonly 25 to 35 percent.
• A higher rate, often somewhere around half a point to a point and a half above a conventional loan.
• Canadian paperwork, including your passport, a Canadian credit report, proof of income and tax returns, and sometimes an ITIN (a U.S. taxpayer number).
• Reserves, often 6 to 12 months of payments in the bank, sometimes in a U.S. account.

3. A cross-border bank

Some Canadian banks run U.S. divisions that offer cross-border banking and mortgages, and some of those will count your Canadian credit history. Programs come and go, so ask your own bank first.

4. A rental-income (DSCR) loan for investment property

If the house will be a rental, some lenders qualify the loan on the property’s expected rent instead of your personal income. Many accept foreign nationals, usually with 25 to 30 percent down. Read the prepayment penalty terms carefully, because they’re common on these loans.

How to Find a Lender Who Actually Closes These Loans

Plenty of lenders say yes on the phone and then stall in underwriting. Here’s how to find the ones who get Canadian loans to the closing table:

• Ask local title and escrow officers. Every closing in town goes through them, so they know which lenders finish Canadian deals.
• Talk to a mortgage broker, not just one bank. A broker can shop many foreign national lenders at once. Ask how many loans for Canadian buyers they closed last year.
• Check their license. Look the loan officer up on NMLS Consumer Access and confirm they’re licensed in Arizona.
• Compare the right things: down payment, rate, reserves, whether they need an ITIN, days to close, remote signing, and any prepayment penalty.
• Walk away from anyone who wants big fees up front before giving you a written Loan Estimate.

Get a written Loan Estimate from at least two lenders before you write an offer. I’ll build the contract timeline around whichever one you choose.

How the Purchase Itself Works

• Arizona closes through escrow. A title and escrow company holds the money and records the deed. Most deals don’t need an attorney.
• Give the loan extra time. Foreign national loans run slower, so we write a longer financing window into the Arizona purchase contract. Plan on 45 days or more.
• Open a U.S. bank account early and move your funds well before closing. A currency exchange specialist will usually beat your bank’s rate on a large transfer.
• You don’t have to fly down to sign. Arizona allows remote online notarization, and since Canada joined the Apostille Convention in 2024, documents signed in Canada are easier to get accepted here.
• Expect a higher property tax rate. Arizona’s lower primary-residence rate is for homes that are the owner’s main residence. A Canadian’s winter home is usually taxed as a secondary residence. I’ll show you the current tax bill on any home you’re considering.

Taxes: Talk to a Cross-Border Accountant Before You Buy

I’m not an accountant, and this part is where Canadians can lose real money by guessing. These are the topics to bring to a cross-border CPA before you choose how to hold title:

• Think twice about an LLC. An LLC works well for Americans, but Canada taxes it differently than the U.S. does, which can mean paying tax twice. Many Canadians hold title in their own names instead. Get advice first.
• Rental income has U.S. filing rules. Without the right paperwork, a tenant or property manager may have to withhold 30 percent of your gross rent. Most owners file to be taxed on net income instead, and you’ll file an Arizona return too. Short-term rentals also need an Arizona tax (TPT) license and city registration.
• Selling later has withholding (FIRPTA). When a non-U.S. owner sells, the buyer generally must withhold up to 15 percent of the sale price for the IRS. You can apply ahead of time to reduce it.
• Count your days. Owning a home doesn’t change how long you can stay. Track your days for the U.S. “substantial presence” test (Form 8840 helps many snowbirds) and for your province’s health-coverage rules.
• U.S. estate tax can apply to Canadians with larger estates. The Canada–U.S. tax treaty often softens it, but check.

Canadian Buyer Questions

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules and loan programs change. Confirm your situation with a licensed lender and a cross-border tax professional.

Shopping From Canada

Most of my Canadian buyers start looking months before they drive down. I’ll send video walkthroughs, honest comps and the real tax and HOA numbers, so your weeks in Havasu go to deciding, not browsing. After closing, I stay your local contact. Our vetted crew, backed by Jose’s general contractor license, keeps an eye on the house all summer, so you don’t have to manage it from Calgary.