Tampa is the second best city in the nation to invest in real estate, study finds

It has a hot, muggy climate, dangerous mosquitoes and a never-ending string of bizarre-o happenings.

Still, Florida remains one of the nation’s best places to invest in real estate, and Tampa is one of the best cities to invest in.

That’s according to GoBankingRates, which ranks Tampa second among the top 15 U.S. cities in which to own investment property. Orlando is first, Miami 10th and Jacksonville 13th, making Florida the only state with four cities on the list.

“Growing populations in the top cities on our list are fueling the need for more housing,” said Cameron Huddleston, life and money columnist for GoBankingRates, an online site that compares lenders’ interest rates. “That’s why these cities are such great places to own investment property now.”

In late 2014, Florida surpassed New York to become the nation’s third largest state after California and Texas. Florida’s population, now more than 20 million, continues to grow by almost 1,000 people a day.

Of the 15 best cities for real estate investment, two are in Texas — No. 5 Austin and No. 7 Dallas. California, with its sky-high prices, didn’t have a single city that made the list.

The worst place to own investment property? Anchorage, Alaska. Among the 100 most populous U.S. cities surveyed by GoBankingRates, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Virginia Beach, Cleveland and Honolulu also ranked low.

One reason Tampa — indeed, the entire Tampa Bay area — has been so attractive to real estate investors has been the huge number of cheap foreclosed homes. But as the economy continues to improve, the supply of bank-owned properties for sale is shrinking and the prices are skyrocketing.

Read More

About Author

John William is a cum laude graduate of the University of Miami, and has spent his lifetime in sales and marketing. The fourth generation to join his family business, John William manages all luxury residential sales and transactions within the Tampa Bay and South Florida markets. A keen industry insider with a finger on the pulse of the area, He is an expert identifying high-return acquisition and development opportunities for hungry investors both large and small while simultaneously working with homeowners and homebuyers to buy and sell the home of their dreams… often times without the need of the MLS or a For Sale sign. He also oversees all digital and print marketing for the company, and handles all sales training for new and established agents alike. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Brookwood Florida, the oldest charity in Florida, and works to raise millions of dollars annually for local charities and museums.