Top Real Estate Markets to Watch: 2022–2026 Trends and Takeaways

1. Dallas-Fort Worth Is the Consistent National Leader

Dallas–Fort Worth appears in every year from 2022 through 2026, the only metro with that streak. Its combination of strong job growth, developer-friendly regulations, and diversified economic drivers continues to attract both capital and construction.

Why it matters: DFW remains the bellwether for tracking how national supply absorption and rent resilience perform under sustained delivery pressure.

2. Sun Belt Favorites Show Staying Power, but Cooling Trends Are Emerging

Markets like Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, Phoenix, Tampa, and Miami maintain a near-constant presence across years, underscoring their demographic and business migration appeal.
However, by 2026, smaller markets like Jersey City, Brooklyn, and North New Jersey reappear — suggesting capital rotation toward stability and affordability after years of Sun Belt saturation.

Why it matters: Investors may be recalibrating toward more balanced, higher-barrier coastal markets as rent growth normalizes in the South.

3. The Northeast Is Back on the Map

Boston, Manhattan, and North New Jersey make repeat appearances after being absent from early post-pandemic lists.

Why it matters: Renewed focus on transit-rich, mixed-use urban cores indicates confidence in employment and education hubs recovering from remote work slowdowns.

4. High-Rise Recovery Markets Gain Attention

Cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco (appearing intermittently) align with a resurgence in high-rise performance, mirroring Greg Willett’s recent commentary on A New Twist in Apartment Rent Growth by Building Height.

Why it matters: Demand for premium urban product may be stabilizing even as suburban garden developments face headwinds.

5. Investors Are Watching Job and Immigration Ties Closely

Several metros, notably Houston, Miami, and Phoenix, appear frequently due to robust job creation and population inflows. But as Greg highlighted in From the Field: New York, immigration and labor policy changes are emerging as key risk variables that could alter these growth paths.

Last Thoughts

Across five years of survey data, only a handful of metros consistently make the cut: Dallas-Fort Worth, Nashville, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Miami. These markets combine scalable multifamily pipelines with economic magnetism, but they’re also where oversupply, rent compression, and cost risk will hit hardest if demand wavers.