Episode 47: Virginia Beach Leads Nation at 5% — Hottest Rental Markets Right Now

Welcome back to What's Hot, What's Not C.R.E. It's Tuesday, February 24th, 2026. Today — the hottest rental markets in America right now. 🔥 What's Hot — Rent Growth Leaders: Virginia Beach leads the nation at +5% YoY (multifamily +6.2%) — defense jobs and limited supply driving demand. San Jose +4.8% — AI hiring and return-to-office fueling Bay Area rents. San Francisco +4.6%. Chicago +5.5% multifamily — lowest construction pipeline since the GFC. Providence +4.9% — Northeast benefiting from constrained supply. ❄️ What's Not — Florida & Sun Belt Struggling: Sarasota -6.1%. Fort Myers -6%. Naples -4.7%. Pandemic building boom oversupply hitting hard. Austin continues sliding at -3.2% — on top of years of declines. Denver still negative at -3.2% YoY. 💡 Why It Matters: The market is splitting clearly. Coastal tech hubs and supply-constrained Midwest/Northeast markets are growing. Sun Belt and Florida are correcting. Migration has slowed sharply — job growth is the new differentiator. Defense, tech, and healthcare employment are winning. 🎯 Investor Takeaway: Follow the jobs and supply constraints. Virginia Beach, San Jose, Chicago, Providence — these are the momentum plays. Avoid Florida coastal markets and Austin until absorption catches up. Thanks for tuning in. See you tomorrow! Don't forget to Like, Share, and Subscribe! Visit hotnotcre.com to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter. #CRE #CommercialRealEstate #Multifamily #RentGrowth #VirginiaBeach #SanJose #SanFrancisco #Chicago #Providence #Florida #Austin #Denver #SunBelt #MarketUpdate #RealEstate2026 #ApartmentInvesting #MultifamilyInvesting #DefenseJobs #TechHubs #InvestorTips