NAPLES, Fla. -- Germans have historically been big home buyers in Southwest Florida. That's why Naples realtor Todd Gridley was surprised to hear of one potential buyer from Germany who backed out of a home sale in Cape Coral, due to President Donald Trump's much-publicized restrictions for travelers coming to the U.S. from several Middle East nations.
"One of our bigger 'feeder' markets is Germany and England, and we're seeing both coming in," Gridley said Wednesday.
A Cape Coral realtor who wished to remain anonymous forwarded Fox 4 an email from a German client, which reads in part: "What if he (Trump) one day will decide a ban for other countries, or people who have investments in Florida?"
"That is the reason we are inactive at the moment," the email continues, regarding a deal to buy property in Cape Coral. "We just want to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks."
The Cape Coral realtor said she also lost another client from Germany who cited similar concerns.
"When it comes to politics, everybody has their opinions," Gridley said. "That could be a concern for some people, but all in all, we're seeing a lot of international buyers coming into Southwest Florida."
He said that Europeans - mostly Germans - buy homes in Southwest Florida for the same reasons as most others.
"It's still affordable, with price ranges that meet their needs," Gridley said. "They like the beach and the restaurants like everyone else."
