Why is Raleigh so underrated???

[Ellison Frick]

What stands out most is that Raleigh isn’t just “growing”—it’s structurally expanding in a way that creates long-term demand for housing and rentals.

A few key drivers I’m seeing:

• Job growth is diverse and sticky — tech, healthcare, education, and state government all anchor employment here
• Research Triangle influence keeps attracting high-income talent from out of state
• Population growth is consistently above national average, and a lot of it is migration-driven (not just natural growth)
• Supply hasn’t kept up with demand, especially in the workforce housing and B/C multifamily space
• Rent growth has stayed resilient even with broader market normalization in other cities

What I personally like about Raleigh is that it still feels early compared to other major growth metros. You’re not dealing with the same pricing compression you see in Austin, Nashville, or Charlotte yet—but the fundamentals look very similar a few years behind.

That spread creates opportunity for:

• Light redevelopment / infill
• Build-to-rent strategies
• Long-term buy-and-hold rentals in strong school districts

Would love to hear how other investors are approaching Raleigh right now!