With no U.S. credit and limited access to traditional financing, foreign nationals are turning to new funding solutions for U.S. real estate opportunities.
ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — Foreign nationals continue to play a major role in the U.S. real estate market, yet securing financing remains a persistent challenge. Even experienced investors with strong equity often find themselves blocked—not because of the deal, but because they don’t meet the rigid requirements of banks and other traditional lenders.
Without U.S. credit history or a domestic financial footprint, foreign national borrowers are frequently sidelined. Add in lengthy underwriting timelines and institutional layers, and many time-sensitive opportunities fall apart before they reach the closing table.
Kennedy Funding is addressing that gap.
As a direct private lender with more than $4 billion in closed loans, the firm takes a different approach—one that centers on the asset rather than the borrower’s geography.
“Foreign national borrowers are often turned away for reasons unrelated to the strength of the deal,” said Kevin Wolfer, CEO and President of Kennedy Funding. “We focus on the asset and the equity—not whether someone checks every conventional box.”
Instead of relying on conventional underwriting criteria, Kennedy Funding evaluates the fundamentals of the transaction: property value, equity, and overall deal viability. That shift in perspective has made the firm a consistent financing source for foreign nationals competing in fast-moving U.S. markets.
Across the industry, international investors continue to face familiar hurdles—limited access to domestic banking relationships, restrictive guidelines, and approval processes that stretch for weeks or months. In competitive situations, delays alone can cost borrowers the deal.
Kennedy Funding eliminates those barriers by deploying its own resources and making decisions internally—without committees or syndication.
“We’re not sending deals through layers of approvals just to get an answer,” Wolfer said. “We evaluate it, decide, and execute. That’s what keeps transactions moving.”
That speed has become a defining advantage. The firm regularly closes loans in a matter of days, allowing foreign investors to compete more effectively with domestic buyers.
In one recent transaction, Kennedy Funding provided acquisition financing for a foreign national purchasing a 19-unit apartment building in Baltimore, stepping in after traditional options failed to meet the required timeline.
“Timing is everything,” said Edwin Urrego, Executive Loan Officer at Kennedy Funding. “Foreign national borrowers aren’t lacking opportunity—they’re lacking lenders who can move fast. We focus on the asset, the potential occupancy, and the equity. That’s what drives our decisions.”
Urrego added that many international investors bring significant experience and capital but encounter unnecessary friction when entering the U.S. market.
“You can have a strong global track record, but if you don’t fit a domestic lending model, the deal stalls,” he said. “We take a practical view. If the real estate performs, we can structure a loan around it.”
Kennedy Funding’s platform supports a wide range of commercial real estate transactions, including land, multifamily, and commercial assets, along with acquisitions, bridge financing, and more complex scenarios such as workouts and time-sensitive closings. Rather than replacing traditional lenders, the firm serves as a critical alternative when conventional financing is not viable—or not fast enough.
Key features of the firm’s foreign national lending platform include:
● No requirement for U.S. credit history
● Asset-based underwriting centered on property value
● Loans starting at $1 million and scaling upward
● Typical leverage up to 75% loan-to-value
● Closings in as little as five days
Kennedy Funding’s borrower base spans South America, Europe, Canada, and beyond, reflecting the continued global interest in U.S. real estate and the need for lenders who understand how to execute across borders.
“There’s a steady flow of international capital looking for opportunities here,” Wolfer said. “Those investors need partners who can act quickly and structure deals properly. That’s where we come in.”
The firm has also become a trusted resource for brokers representing foreign national clients, particularly in competitive or distressed situations where certainty of execution is critical.
At its core, the approach remains straightforward.
“If the deal makes sense, we focus on the asset—not where the borrower is from,” Wolfer added. “That’s what keeps deals alive.”
With global investment activity continuing and traditional lending standards remaining tight, demand for flexible, asset-based financing is expected to grow—positioning Kennedy Funding as a key player for foreign nationals seeking a direct path to closing.
For more information or to discuss funding solutions, visit www.kennedyfunding.com or call: 201.342.8500.
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