America's Top Five Real Estate Markets

Based on feedback from survey respondents, Emerging Trends predicts that, "well-leased core real estate in leading markets will continue to produce solid single-digit, income-oriented returns" in the top five cities of Washington D.C., Austin, San Francisco, New York City, and Boston.

On D.C.: "Results from 33 years of Emerging Trends make it clear that no other market performs better during a recession, and the area's jobs base has diversified well beyond just government and lobbying into technology, communications, and biomedical industries."

And on Austin, perhaps, the most surprising city to make the top five: "The interest in Austin proves that investors are looking way beyond the global pathways. This moderately sized city features all the other ingredients needed for a local economy to deal successfully with the nation's early-21st-century realities. State government provides an economic buffer, while the giant University of Texas campus attracts both energetic young brainpower and top professional talent."

Riggs also makes note of five additional markets to watch.