Buying a home in Bellevue as a foreign national or visa holder.

Yes. Washington puts no citizenship restriction on owning property, and lenders serve three separate buyer profiles: visa holders with US income on standard loans, US taxpayers using ITIN programs, and non-resident foreign nationals using foreign national mortgages. The difference shows up in down payment and documentation, not in your right to buy.

An H-1B or L-1 holder with US W-2 income is generally underwritten like any other borrower — often 5-20% down on a conforming loan and 10-20% on a jumbo. The additional item lenders check is whether your visa runs past the near-term horizon, and they will accept a pending extension with the receipt notice in most cases.

It is a portfolio loan for a borrower with no US credit file and no US income. Expect roughly 30-40% down, a rate premium over conforming, asset verification instead of a credit score, and a shorter list of lenders. Terms move with the portfolio market, so re-quote at the time you buy rather than relying on last year's numbers.

Yes. ITIN loan programs exist for buyers who file US taxes without an SSN. They typically require two years of ITIN tax returns, 15-25% down, and carry a modest rate premium. Fewer lenders offer them, so start the lender search before the home search.

FIRPTA is federal withholding on a sale by a foreign person — generally 15% of the gross sale price, held at closing, not 15% of your profit. You reclaim any overpayment when you file a US return, or you can apply in advance for a withholding certificate to reduce the amount held. The application must be filed before closing.

No. Escrow can close with a mail-away signing at a US consulate or with a properly executed power of attorney approved in advance by the lender and title company. Get that approval in writing during the contract period, because a rejected POA on closing day delays funding.