A buyer tells you they are paying cash. The listing agent replies: "Please send proof of funds with the offer." Now you need a document that shows the money exists, belongs to your buyer and can reach closing on time.
For most domestic buyers this takes ten minutes. For a buyer in Bogotá or Madrid whose savings sit in a foreign bank, in another currency, it can take weeks if nobody plans for it.
This guide covers what proof of funds (POF) is, what is usually accepted, how to protect the buyer's account details and what to do when the money is outside the US, with a request message, a bank letter template and a quick reference table.
This is not legal or financial advice. Requirements vary by seller, listing agent, lender and title company. Ask the closing agent and the lender what they need before the buyer collects anything.
What proof of funds is, and when you need it
Proof of funds is a document from a financial institution showing that your buyer has the money they say they have. It answers one question for the seller: if we accept this offer, can this buyer close?
You will usually need it in two situations:
- Cash offers. The POF should cover the purchase price plus estimated closing costs.
- Financed offers. The seller sees a pre-approval letter and may also ask for POF covering the down payment and closing costs. The lender separately verifies the down payment, closing costs and any required reserves.
The lender's checks are stricter than the seller's. For loans sold to Fannie Mae, bank statements for a purchase must cover the most recent full two months, identify the bank and the borrower as account holder, show at least the last four digits of the account number and include the ending balance (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.2-01, checked on October 27, 2026). Lenders that work with foreign nationals often add their own rules; see our guide to foreign national mortgages.
Asking the buyer for it
Keep the request short, say exactly what you need and tell the buyer how to protect their details. Ask before you write the offer, not the night it is due.
Hi [name], before we submit the offer on [property], the seller will want proof of funds. Could you send a recent statement (last 30–60 days) or a letter from your bank showing at least [amount] available? Your name and the bank's name need to be visible. Please cover all but the last 4 digits of the account number. A PDF from your bank works best; screenshots are often rejected.
For a cash offer, ask for the price plus a cushion for closing costs. For a financed offer, ask the buyer's lender for the down payment, closing costs and reserves, and use that number.
What usually counts, and what usually doesn't
There is no single national standard for POF with an offer. Each seller and listing agent decides. In practice, the same documents keep working and the same ones keep coming back:
| Usually accepted | Ask for more | Usually not accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Recent bank statement, as a PDF from the bank, with name, bank and balance | Statement older than 60 days: ask for a newer one or a bank letter | Screenshot of a banking app |
| Brokerage or money market statement | Funds across several accounts: send all of them | Spreadsheet or letter written by the buyer |
| Signed letter on bank letterhead with balance and date | Account in someone else's name: expect questions about access, or gift paperwork from a lender | Crypto exchange balance |
| Online statement downloaded from the bank's website | Foreign statement: add a translation, a USD conversion or an English bank letter | Unsigned or undated letters |
| Large recent deposit: expect the lender to ask where it came from |
Crypto. Many sellers will not count a crypto balance as cash. Lenders following Fannie Mae accept it only after it has been exchanged into US dollars and held in a US or state regulated financial institution, and never for the earnest money deposit (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.1-04, checked on October 27, 2026). Tell crypto buyers to convert early.
Large deposits. Fannie Mae defines a large deposit as a single deposit over 50% of the borrower's total monthly qualifying income; if those funds are needed for a purchase, the lender must document that they came from an acceptable source (B3-4.2-02, checked on October 27, 2026). Moving money around right before applying creates paperwork, not speed.
Redacting the statement
A POF document passes through several inboxes. The buyer does not need to share a full account number with any of them.
- Cover the account number except the last four digits. Use a real redaction tool in a PDF editor, not a black box drawn on top.
- Keep what proves the point: buyer's name, bank name, date and balance.
- Skip the transaction history when a one-page summary or a bank letter will do.
- The lender is different. Lenders usually need complete statements. The buyer sends those through the lender's secure portal, not with the offer.
When the money is abroad
International buyers are often well able to pay, but their documents do not look like what a US listing agent expects. Plan for four things.
Language. Send foreign statements with an English translation, or ask the bank for a letter in English. For financed purchases, Fannie Mae requires foreign documents to be in English or accompanied by a complete and accurate translation (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.2-05, checked on October 27, 2026).
Currency. A balance in Colombian pesos means little to a seller until it is in dollars. Add the US dollar equivalent, the exchange rate and the date, and leave a margin, because rates move between offer and closing.
Moving the money. Funds abroad prove ability; they are not money at closing. For financed purchases, Fannie Mae requires evidence that foreign assets were exchanged into US dollars and held in a US or state regulated financial institution before closing (B3-4.2-05). Cash buyers face the same practical problem: the closing agent needs dollars. Have the buyer ask their bank early how long an international transfer takes and whether limits apply, and build that time into the contract dates.
A bank letter. For a foreign account, a signed letter from the bank is often the cleanest POF. The buyer can ask for one with these fields:
[Bank letterhead with address, phone and website]
Date: [date]
To whom it may concern:
This letter confirms that [full name of account holder(s)] holds a [type of account] at [bank name], account ending in [last 4 digits], open since [date].
As of [date], the available balance is [amount and currency], approximately US$[amount] at an exchange rate of [rate] on [date].
These funds are available to the account holder without restriction.
[Name of bank officer], [title]
[Direct phone and email for verification]
[Signature and bank stamp]
The verification contact matters: a listing agent who can call the bank is far more comfortable than one staring at a PDF.
Here is how that conversation often goes on WhatsApp:
- Hola! La plata está en Bancolombia. ¿Les sirve un pantallazo de la app?Hi! The money is in Bancolombia. Will a screenshot from the app work?
- ¡Hola Camila! Un pantallazo casi siempre lo rechazan. Mejor una carta del banco en inglés, firmada, con el saldo en pesos y en dólares. ¿La puedes pedir esta semana?Hi Camila! Screenshots almost always get rejected. A signed bank letter in English, with the balance in pesos and dollars, is better. Can you request it this week?
- Sí, mañana. ¿Y cuándo mando el dinero a EE. UU.?Yes, tomorrow. And when do I send the money to the US?
- Pregúntale a tu banco cuánto tarda la transferencia y si hay límite. Las instrucciones del giro solo te las da la compañía de título, y siempre las confirmas por teléfono.Ask your bank how long the transfer takes and if there's a limit. Only the title company gives you the wiring instructions, and you always confirm them by phone.
For the bigger picture, see can foreigners buy property in the US.
Wire fraud: warn the buyer before they send anything
A buyer about to move a large sum is a target. The FBI has warned that business email compromise scams target all participants in real estate transactions (FBI IC3, June 9, 2023, checked on October 27, 2026). The usual trick is an email that looks like it comes from you, the lender or the title company, with "new wiring instructions".
The FTC's advice: don't wire money in response to an unexpected email, and contact your lender, broker or real estate professional at a number or email address you know is genuine (FTC, checked on October 27, 2026). Tell international buyers early, in their language, and again before closing:
- Wiring instructions come only from the title company or closing attorney, and are confirmed by phone at a number from the start of the deal.
- Instructions do not change by email at the last minute. If they "change", stop and call.
- If money went to the wrong account, call the sending bank immediately, then report it at ic3.gov.
Why the title company may ask where the money came from
Even after the seller accepts the POF, the closing side may ask more questions, especially on all-cash purchases through an LLC or trust, which many international buyers use.
FinCEN's Geographic Targeting Orders required title insurers in certain metro areas, including parts of Florida, Texas, California and New York, to identify the people behind shell companies making non-financed residential purchases, generally at $300,000 and up. FinCEN's last announced renewal ran until February 28, 2026, because its Residential Real Estate Rule was set to begin March 1, 2026 (FinCEN, October 9, 2025, checked on October 27, 2026).
That rule is on hold. On March 19, 2026, a federal court in the Eastern District of Texas vacated it. FinCEN has appealed, and says that while the order remains in force, reporting persons are not required to file Real Estate Reports (FinCEN, checked on October 27, 2026). The appeal could change that.
Title companies and lenders run their own fraud and compliance checks either way. A buyer who can document where the money came from closes faster than one surprised by the question.
Where Replint fits
POF comes up once you know whether a buyer is paying cash or financing, and that conversation usually starts on WhatsApp. Replint answers WhatsApp leads in seconds, in English or Spanish, asks qualifying questions one at a time, including cash or financing, builds a buyer profile in the lead's own words and hands you the buyers who are ready. It is in early access for US agents and teams.
