Nashville Housing Market

[Christian Grabeman]

I'm looking to buy my first Nashville property to live in and rehab and then rent out. I want to get your take on the Nashville housing market. First of all, what areas do you see as having noticeable value? I know many neighborhoods have seen their property values jump up in the past few years. What areas could you see having a rise in popularity in the future? Also, do you think property values as a whole will continue to rise in Nashville or have we hit the peak. (I realize there's no way of knowing I just like to hear people's takes on it)

[Shane B.]

Christian,

Everyone has their opinion, and here is mine. There is no "peak" in Nashville, and I do not think there is a bubble. A lot of Nashville lifers talk about the trends and various bubbles throughout their life without realizing that the past has no validity on the future. Nashville is a completely different beast than it ever has been, and although the values will even out meaning the crazy value jumps will go away, you will not be able to buy for what you could 2010-2012 ever again IMHO. Compare Nashville to other large cities in the history of gentrification across the US and realize this is the new norm. Housing will only continue to have a larger and larger demand with all the people and white collar jobs moving in. Everyone saying how high and unaffordable it is now should check out Boston. If there is a housing market crash in Nashville it will be due to something that has happened on a global scale, and there will be much larger problems than home values. Of course it is become a lot harder to find deals because everyone and their mom thinks money can be made in the Nashville housing market. There are a lot of rich people dumping money into properties as an illiquid bank account essentially. Once the values balance out the feeding frenzy will slow down, but until then let the madness continue.