As of March 1, 2026, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires reporting on certain non-financed residential real estate purchases when the buyer is a legal entity or certain trust structure. If you are buying in your personal name with a lender, the rule almost certainly doesn’t apply to you. If you are purchasing through an LLC, corporation, partnership, or certain trusts without a lender involved, reporting is likely required.
The report focuses on beneficial ownership: who ultimately owns or controls the entity buying the property. It is filed by the escrow company, but they need your documentation to do it. The filing happens within 30 days of closing. The information doesn’t appear publicly like a deed, but the purchase is no longer anonymous at the federal level. If you’re planning to buy through an entity structure, organize your ownership documentation before you start writing offers. Delays in this information can slow closing at exactly the wrong moment. Full detail on the blog.