Overseas Real Estate Investing (US Citizens)

[Christian McKinnon]

Hello all, I am an American citizen living overseas who is looking to invest in rental income properties in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I was wondering if it's overwhelmingly difficult to apply for a mortgage with foreign-earned income? (I have no W2s as I am working for a foreign company in China)

According to my understanding, investment property mortgages require a minimum of a 20% down payment up front which is fine as I have already managed to accumulate a down payment somewhere in the ballpark of 50-60% of my max budget -- my questions are:

Would it be better to take out a mortgage for the remaining 40-50% of the cost and pay it down with income over time, or to just save up the remainder and buy it outright? Is this the only option I have as I am currently living overseas without any reliable means of proving my income?

Thank you for any input you might have!