9 Cities to Buy a Home in Before Prices Soar

If you're a longtime Fremont homeowner who has been thinking about cashing out and starting fresh somewhere more affordable, a recent Travel + Leisure roundup is worth your attention. The piece polled real estate experts on which U.S. cities still have room to grow before they catch up to the rest of the country in price, and I wanted to walk through it with my Fremont clients in mind, because I know a lot of you are sitting on more equity than you may realize.

Fremont's average home value is well into seven figures these days, and if you've owned here for even a decade, you've likely built up a level of equity that goes a long way almost anywhere else in the country. That's exactly the opportunity this list points to. Here are the nine cities the experts flagged, and a bit of what makes each one appealing.

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Raleigh in particular is drawing serious attention right now, with tech companies, developers, and high-net-worth buyers all competing for a limited supply of homes. Average home values sit just under $500,000, which is a fraction of what the same equity buys you in Fremont.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Home values here have climbed since 2020 but remain in the low $300,000s. What stands out is the quality of life: a walkable downtown, a strong restaurant and brewery scene, and easy access to the outdoors, all of which are pulling in younger buyers and keeping demand steady.

Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville pairs mountain access with a thriving downtown and a growing healthcare presence, anchored by the Michelin North America headquarters. One real estate expert I'd point you to put it well: people are moving there for the lifestyle, not just to save money, which tends to keep demand strong even as prices rise. Home values are around $330,000 and climbing.

Spokane, Washington

For anyone drawn to the Pacific Northwest but priced out of Seattle, Spokane offers a similar outdoor-focused lifestyle at roughly $400,000 average home value, a meaningful discount to what you'd find on the west side of the state.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga has become something of a release valve for buyers getting priced out of Nashville and other Southern cities. It offers the same mix of outdoor lifestyle and downtown energy at a lower price point, with average home values around $325,000 compared to roughly $435,000 in Nashville.

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is already competitive, with homes going pending in about six days and half of sales closing above list price. Average home values are approaching $380,000. Buyers are drawn to the historic neighborhoods, food and arts scene, and access to outdoor recreation, all while staying more attainable than nearby Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

Athens, Georgia

Athens benefits from a steady base of demand tied to the University of Georgia, though the market has softened slightly, with median listing prices down about 3.7 percent year over year to roughly $425,000. That could mean a bit more room to negotiate right now, before enrollment growth pushes prices back up.

Houston, Texas

Houston remains one of the more affordable major Texas cities, with average home values around $265,000 and prices recently dipping for the first time in fifteen years. It's supported by real growth across aerospace, technology, biotech, energy, and healthcare, plus a genuinely diverse food and arts scene.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati offers a lot of what buyers are looking for right now: historic neighborhoods, professional sports, a strong brewery and arts scene, and average home values still in the mid-$200,000s. As revitalization continues, that window of affordability likely won't stay open forever.

What this could mean for you

I know moving out of state is a big decision, and it's rarely just about the numbers. Leaving Fremont after years or decades here means leaving behind neighbors, routines, and a community you've built your life around, and that's worth taking seriously and sitting with, not rushing past.

But if a move has been on your mind, whether to be closer to family, to slow down, or simply to make your money go further, it helps to understand what your Fremont equity could realistically do somewhere else. In a lot of these cities, it could mean paying cash, or coming close to it.

If you'd like to talk through what your home might be worth in today's market, or just want a sounding board as you think through whether now is the right time, I'm always happy to help. There's no pressure and no timeline. I just want you to have the information you need to make the choice that's right for you and your family.