In an effort to switch it up from the now normal doomsday unemployment rate reports, AOL just published an article on the Brookings’ Institute’s report on the Top 10 metro areas where employment grew from the second to the third quarter of 2009. While this is not strictly a real estate topic, the wellness of an area’s employment market is inextricably intertwined with that of its real estate market. These cities’ job markets grew .1 to 1.3 percent quarter-to-quarter, while the national average was a decrease of 4.6 percent!
Smart women investors who live in pricey markets or are just open to investing in other markets should take note – the best hedge against dropping real estate values is to buy an investment property in a place where jobs are growing and going. If you’re planning an investment in 2010, check the location of your next investment property against this list and the underlying
Note – I’ve been watching the very promising (for real estate investors) fundamentals of McAllen, Texas (#1 on this list!) for a couple of years now, and helped one of my investment consulting clients buy a duplex there a couple of years back. If anyone owns or works in or around that area, I’d love you to comment and provide your thoughts on the town as a place to live and/or invest.
