Cómo transferir dinero a EE.UU. para comprar una propiedad

Most international real estate transactions involve at least one international wire transfer — moving funds from a bank in your home country to a U.S. account held by a title company, escrow company, or your own U.S. bank account. The wire must arrive in cleared funds by the deadline specified in your closing timeline. Late or missing funds can delay or cancel a closing.

International wires travel through the SWIFT network and often pass through one or more correspondent banks before reaching the destination. Each correspondent bank may deduct fees, which can result in the receiving account getting slightly less than what you sent. Confirm the net amount expected with the title company and factor in a small buffer when sending.

Title companies and lenders are required to verify the source of funds in a real estate transaction as part of their anti-money-laundering compliance obligations. This means you will likely be asked to provide bank statements showing the funds were available, an explanation of where the money came from, and documentation supporting that explanation.

Common sources include employment income, business revenue, the sale of another property or asset, investment account withdrawals, or a gift. Each source may require different supporting documents — for example, a sale of assets may require a brokerage statement showing the liquidation, while a business distribution may require company bank records or an accountant letter.

Large deposits that appeared recently in your bank account often trigger additional questions. If you have recently moved money between accounts, converted currency, or received a large transfer, prepare a clear paper trail before your file is reviewed. Unexplained large deposits create delays and, in some cases, can result in lenders or title companies declining to proceed.

Start the wire process several business days before the closing deadline. International wires can be delayed by public holidays in either country, compliance holds at correspondent banks, incorrect SWIFT or routing details, or currency conversion queues. Ask your bank about expected timing and get written wire instructions directly from the title company — not from email threads that could be manipulated.

Verify the wire instructions by calling the title company directly before sending. Wire fraud is a real risk in real estate transactions. If you receive wire instructions by email, call a number you independently confirmed to verify them before transmitting funds. Once a wire is sent to a fraudulent account, recovery is often not possible.