Three months after Florida banned many Chinese citizens from owning property, some real estate agents say they are losing business as families across the state are walking away from deals. Longtime Florida resident Kristen Zhang was thrilled when last year her parents in China decided to buy a new house nearby, built from the ground up, in Orlando. After being separated during the pandemic, they’d finally be able to spend time with their grandkids. But in May Republican Gov.
The state’s new restrictions cover both commercial and residential property. They apply to Chinese nationals who aren’t U.S. citizens or permanent residents and already have primary homes in China. There are exceptions for those on nontourist visas or have been granted asylum — but only to buy property on less than two acres situated at least five miles from military sites or infrastructure, like water treatment plants or oil refineries.