The strong Canadian dollar and the American housing downturn have led many Canadian investors to buy properties in the U.S., June Fletcher writes in today’s Wall Street Journal. Fletcher found that Canadians made up the largest portion of foreign buyers of U.S. homes between May 2007 and May 2008. At 24% of all foreign buyers, that’s double the percentage of the year prior, Fletcher writes, citing the National Association of Realtors.

A third of the Canadian buyers choose to snap up properties in Florida, long a popular vacation destination for them. Many of those visitors had been renters, but the strengthened dollar—now at worth about 94 cents on the U.S. dollar compared to about 80 cents three years ago—has enabled them to buy instead, Fletcher writes. She also explores how the influx of Canadians is changing the nature of some communities.

Fletcher’s House Talk column today also touches on the Canadian influx. She recommends ways in which sellers can attract Canadian buyers while American buyers continue to sit on the sidelines. One tip: be sure to emphasize windows and natural light, as Canadians often seek an escape from their long, dark winters north of the border.–Sushil Cheema