The Top 10 Cities for Real Estate Investment in 2017

Now in its 38th year, the Emerging Trends in Real Estate® report is one of the industry’s most trusted and respected studies. If you’re keeping watch on the pulse of the market, this report is a must-read! Austin, which has found a spot in the top ten for the past few years, is getting its turn at the top, after switching positions with Dallas/Fort Worth at the top of the survey. Austin also becomes the third consecutive Texas market to lead the survey following previous number-one markets Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth. Despite Austin’s growing popularity, it remains a comparatively small market in terms of investment opportunities —according to the report. “While Austin is unlikely to attract a meaningful amount of off-shore capital, it tops many domestic investors’ wish lists. This makes the market very competitive. Despite the amount of competition, local, regional, and national real estate participants operate in relative harmony in the market.” According to the report, the composition of the top markets reflects the underlying themes conveyed throughout this year’s report. Market participants like the potential for faster growth, with seven of the top ten markets exhibiting economic growth easily exceeding the national average. Another theme expressed by interviewees and survey respondents is a renewed interest in the perceived stability of core gateway markets, with Los Angeles and San Francisco still being ranked in the top ten and with three others still ranked in the top 20. The report continues: “When we look at where the top markets are located, it is pretty clear that survey respondents are still “smiling.” Seventeen of the top 20 markets lie in the mythical smile that runs down both coasts and across the southern tier of American states, with Denver and Salt Lake City in the mountain region and with Chicago representing the center of the country. The smile markets may dominate the top 20 list, but a positive from this year’s survey is a generally positive outlook for markets in all regions.” So whether you’re an investor, developer, buyer, seller or tenant, consider these top 10 markets:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
3. Portland, Oregon
4. Seattle, Washington
5. Los Angeles, California
6. Nashville, Tennessee
7. Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
8. Orange County, California
9. Charlotte, North Carolina
10. San Francisco, California

Putting it in Perspective