Best and Worst Real Estate Investments by Zip Code. # 11 Best is in my own backyard!

Best Real Estate Investment – By Zip Codes

Realtor.com conducted some research recently to find the best zip codes in the country. They chose a stat you might think is insufficient as a guide to invest — solely on demand.  Their list is based on a) the time it took properties to sell, and b) how frequently homes are viewed in each ZIP code.  There are other factors that go beyond current demand such as overall housing forecasts, specific features, crime rates, commuting time, types of properties, and more which will impact whoever rents your property or buys it.
Here’s a cool graphic from homesnacks.net that you’ve probably never seen before. It maps out all the zip codes according to these factors:

• Population Density
• College Degree Holders
• Unemployment Rates
• Household Incomes
• Short Commute Times
• Home Values

Looks like the give the thumbs up to Seattle, So Cal, Wisconsin, New England, and the core of Texas.

That’s a different ranking of zip codes, and it may help decide on, or avoid investing in properties in specific regions.

Here’s Realtor.com’s top 50 real estate zip codes:

Rank	ZIP Code	Community, State
1	76148	Watauga, TX
2	94523	Pleasant Hill, CA
3	80233	Northglenn, CO
4	80916	Colorado Springs, CO
5	78247	San Antonio, TX
6	94954	Petaluma, CA
7	2176	Melrose, MA
8	63126	Crestwood, MO
9	97222	Milwaukie, OR
10	92104	North Park, CA
11	40242	Louisville, KY
12	66204	Overland Park, KS
13	48072	Berkley, MI
14	95123	San Jose, CA
15	37214	Nashville, TN
16	78749	Austin, TX
17	94585	Suisun City, CA
18	14625	Rochester, NY
19	49508	Kentwood, MI
20	58103	Fargo, ND
21	46804	Fort Wayne, IN
22	95678	Roseville, CA
23	43214	Columbus, OH
24	95376	Tracy, CA
25	98105	Seattle WA
26	83705	Boise, ID
27	68144	Omaha, NE
28	27511	Cary, NC
29	90230	Culver City, CA
30	93906	Salinas, CA
31	59102	Billings, MT
32	93004	Ventura, CA
33	67209	Wichita, KS
34	80603	Brighton, CO
35	95062	Santa Cruz, CA
36	32707	Casselberry, FL
37	95368	Salida, CA
38	93720	Fresno, CA
39	50010	Ames, IA
40	14150	Tonawanda, NY
41	28273	Charlotte, NC
42	30269	Peachtree City, GA
43	55423	Minneapolis, MN
44	53005	Brookfield, WI
45	23226	Richmond, VA
46	66617	Topeka, KS
47	75495	Van Alstyne, TX
48	33624	Tampa, FL
49	7066	Clark, NJ
50	80501	Longmont, CO

Zip Codes with the Lowest DOM

According to Realtor.com, it takes 53 days less to sell a home in the top 20 markets. That means these zip codes are in much greater demand.  Will this demand continue through the next 10 years? The answer to that tough question might be found in state and region migration trends, demographics, types of industries, and other economic data, such as I discussed in the San Diego and Los Angeles and San Francisco real estate forecasts.
Investors might be very focused on where millennial aged buyers/renters might be living and where they’re likely to move to. Places like Longmont, Colorado might be head scratchers, however these might be very attractive locations for younger buyers.
For example, the migration away from Silicon Valley in California is one such trend that could last 10 years. The San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara region has all the earmarks of overheating such as in-migration, positive economic outlook, and a lack of residential land. Any towns such as Pleasant Hill (#2) and Petaluma (#6) and others in between Sacramento and San Francisco could have huge potential for price growth.