The rise of all-cash deals in places like Miami has made it difficult for high-end home buyers planning to use a mortgage. In response, many of these borrowers are turning to lenders able to close loans quickly or offer a range of financing options.
In Miami-Dade County, for example, 62% of all closed residential real-estate sales in 2013 had no mortgage, says the Miami Association of Realtors.
For homes priced $800,000 and above in Miami-Dade, all-cash sales accounted for 58% of the total sales in that price range. The all-cash share in that range was 27% in 2008.