Top 3 Cities to Buy Real Estate in 2026

Welcome back to The Paul Morris Podcast, brought to you by Entrepreneur Media. In this episode, I break down the exact criteria professional investors use to evaluate markets and share the top three U.S. cities that stand out heading into 2026. We’ll walk through the real data—migration trends, affordability, job growth, cap rates, and regulations—and why places like Knoxville, Tulsa, and Savannah are attracting attention from investors. But more importantly, I explain why the city itself is never the whole story. The real opportunity comes from finding the right deal, understanding your local market, and preparing for the wave of distressed properties that could emerge as billions in debt comes due in 2026. If you’ve been wondering where to invest next, this episode will help you think like a professional investor and make smarter decisions in the year ahead. *Connect with Paul* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulmorrispodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris *Presented by Entrepreneur Media & Money News Network* Entrepreneur Media: https://www.entrepreneur.com/podcasts Money News Network: https://www.moneynewsnetwork.com Timestamps 00:00:00 Show Premise And Question 00:00:50 Investor Criteria Overview 00:02:13 Top Cities Revealed 00:02:20 How Migration Data Works 00:02:54 Knoxville Market Breakdown 00:04:06 Knoxville Cap Rates Math 00:04:35 Tulsa Starter Market 00:04:56 Tulsa Rental Demand Signal 00:05:28 Savannah Coastal Diversification 00:06:02 Savannah Prices And Rents 00:06:32 Recap The Three Picks 00:06:46 Why LA Still Feels Full 00:08:19 Neighborhoods Beat Averages 00:09:46 LA On The Five Factors 00:13:36 Deal Focus And 2026 Debt Wall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices