Houston is the #2 Real Estate Market in the Nation

Matt Phair, HousingZone Contributing Editor
January 14, 2010
HousingZone

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas metro area heads the list of best real estate investment markets for 2010,  according to FinestExpert.com’s first annual Top 20 Real Estate Investment Markets.The survey analyzes over 10,000 real estate markets according to the US Census data (covering over 95% of the US population) to identify the most suitable places for real estate investors to seek stable and growth oriented areas.

Stabilizing and turning-around housing prices follows basic supply and demand principles. San Francisco based FinestExpert.com compiled a collection of key factors, such as strong employment, rental markets, and growth levels as offset by foreclosures, that combine to determine the “best” real estate investment markets.

These top 20 markets are identified as good buy-and-hold real estate investment markets (vs. a quick fix-and-flip … although those deals certainly exist as well). Consequently cashflow positive properties were a critical component – which takes into account home prices, hyper-local rents, plus taxes, insurance and other operating expenses.

For the first-time homebuyer, a good cash flow deal represents the ability to own for less than it would cost to rent. These make excellent starter properties, especially for someone who may want to one day become a real estate investor.

The top-20 markets are:

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington,Texas

Houston, Texas

Tulsa, Okla.

San Antonio, Texas

Salt Lake City, Utah

Phoenix, Ariz.

Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.

Denver-Aurora, Colo.

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C. / S.C.

Ames, Iowa  

Des Moines, Iowa  

Southaven, Miss.  

Killeen, Texas  

New Orleans, La.  

Madison, Wis.  

Midland, Texas  

Maricopa, Ariz.  

Little Rock, Ark.  

Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.