Dallas-Fort Worth is the No. 1 market to watch in 2026, a designation it has received for the second year in a row.
Global accounting and financial services firm PwC and the influential Urban Land Institute have just released their annual Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2026 report, ranking the top 10 markets to watch in 2026 and naming the Texas city the top choice.
The list was compiled by surveying over 1,700 real estate investors, developers, lenders, and advisors in both the U.S. and Canada.
“Our primary theme was around navigating the fog. We use that analogy because there’s a lot of uncertainty, both from a macroeconomic and real estate perspective,” Andrew Alperstein, a partner with PwC’s U.S. real estate practice, told CNBC Make It. “There’s a lot we’ve got to keep an eye on here with respect to migration trends and where companies want to do their business.”
Commercial and Residential Real Estate Is Booming
The Dallas metro area secured the top spot for both commercial and homebuilding prospects due to its business-friendly environment, strong migration, and relative affordability compared to other primary markets.
Alperstein told CNBC, ”It has a pretty diverse economy, is still relatively affordable, and there’s easy access to it.” He added that Dallas’ “great story…will likely continue from a migration perspective and ongoing development and expansion.”
The Attraction for Investors: Jobs
For real estate investors of all stripes, the big attraction to Dallas is its strong employment numbers. Large organizations like Toyota, State Farm, Amazon Web Services, and TIAA have all chosen North Texas…