Dave Meyer wastes no time making his case: where you invest is the single most consequential decision a real estate investor makes. With affordability declining across many metros, finding the right market has moved from important to essential. Meyer introduces the episode's expanded format — for the first time, the team will cover not just long-term rentals but also short-term rentals, house flipping, and house hacking markets. Co-hosts Henry Washington and Ashley Kehr are introduced, and the tone is set: data-driven picks, real numbers, and strategic rationale rather than vague enthusiasm.

Ashley Kehr opens the long-term rental round with a self-described 'cheat' — picking a suburb rather than a standalone city. Greenfield, Indiana sits about 30 minutes from Indianapolis, capturing the economic engine of a major metro while staying accessible to renters who want something more affordable. The median home price is $285,000, homes are moving in under 30 days, and the 7% year-over-year price appreciation adds an investment thesis beyond pure cash flow. ^{[1] — Ashley Kehr "Greenfield IN median home price: Greenfield, Indiana has a median home price of $285,000 and homes sell in under 30 days, making it a fast-…" 02:00 Play} Rents for single-family homes range from $1,750 to $2,200 per month — not a 1% ratio, but close enough to be worth underwriting. Henry Washington and Dave Meyer both celebrate the 'drafting' strategy: let Indianapolis build the infrastructure, create the jobs, and drive the economic growth, then invest in the towns that benefit without paying city prices.

Before naming his pick, Henry Washington walks through his market selection framework, a five-factor checklist covering price growth, population growth, job growth, rent growth, and income growth over both 1-year and 5-year windows. The goal: find places people want to live that also have jobs for them. Richmond, Virginia clears every bar. ^{[1] — Henry Washington "Richmond, Virginia added 56,000 residents in four years and hosts major employers like Capital One (13,000 employees) and VCU. With a $364,…" 05:00 Play} With a $364,000 median home price and $2,100 median rent, the numbers suggest deals are findable on-market — and great deals off-market. The city has added 56,000 new residents in four years, driven by employers including Capital One (13,000 workers) and VCU's hospital system. The billion-dollar Diamond District mixed-use redevelopment adds further evidence that the city is building roots. Henry sums it up as a market where you'll work for the deal but will be rewarded with both cash flow and appreciation.

Before naming his pick, Henry Washington walks through his market selection framework, a five-factor checklist covering price growth, population growth, job growth, rent growth, and income growth over both 1-year and 5-year windows. The goal: find places people want to live that also have jobs for them. Richmond, Virginia clears every bar. ^{[1] — Henry Washington "Richmond, Virginia added 56,000 residents in four years and hosts major employers like Capital One (13,000 employees) and VCU. With a $364,…" 05:00 Play} With a $364,000 median home price and $2,100 median rent, the numbers suggest deals are findable on-market — and great deals off-market. The city has added 56,000 new residents in four years, driven by employers including Capital One (13,000 workers) and VCU's hospital system. The billion-dollar Diamond District mixed-use redevelopment adds further evidence that the city is building roots. Henry sums it up as a market where you'll work for the deal but will be rewarded with both cash flow and appreciation.

Dave Meyer teases that he's breaking from his usual Midwest and Northeast habits to pick Chattanooga, Tennessee — and the reasoning is compelling. The city has seen nearly 6% population growth in five years, drawing residents from LA, Miami, DC, Chicago, and Atlanta who are chasing quality of life and affordability. Meyer introduces his 'investing for vibes' philosophy: he prioritizes cities where people genuinely want to live because that's what sustains rents and appreciation long-term. ^{[1] — Dave Meyer "Chattanooga is a genuine hybrid market — you get both cash flow and appreciation, fueled by nearly 6% five-year population growth and an in…" 09:35 Play} He backs the thesis with a concrete underwriting example: a duplex listed at around $500,000 that had been sitting for 72 days, with each side renting for approximately $1,900 — totaling $3,800 in monthly revenue. At a negotiated price of $450,000 or less, this is a cash-flowing deal in a high-quality market. Tennessee's lack of state income tax is a bonus. Henry confirms Chattanooga is a great city — big enough to have amenities, small enough to avoid overwhelm, and close enough to Atlanta to capture that market's economic gravity.

The hosts take a brief turn to pitch BPCon 2026 in Orlando, which Henry Washington calls arguably the best BPCon ever — high praise given the event's history. Dave Meyer reveals the programming is filling out with exciting speakers and promises new networking elements and Ashley Kehr's signature 'surprise and delight' moments. Ashley previews her own session, focused on optimizing revenue and property management operations for investors with 10 or more deals. With early bird pricing ending imminently, Meyer directs listeners to biggerpockets.com/conference.

The first sponsor block features four real-estate-adjacent services. Lennar Investor Marketplace is pitched as a free tool for investors to analyze new construction homes with real-time rent and return projections. NREG positions itself as a claims-focused insurance provider that goes beyond just getting a policy in place. Rent to Retirement promotes full-service turnkey investing in new construction properties at up to 10% below market value, with interest rates as low as 3.7% and claims that investors can recover 50–75% of their down payment at closing. Steadyly rounds out the block with landlord insurance specifically designed for short-term rental activity, offering BiggerPockets Pro members a 5% premium discount.

Henry Washington opens the short-term rental round by laying out his criteria: markets with above-average population growth, stable job growth, insurance costs near the national average, and — crucially — economies already built around vacation rentals. He wants markets where STRs are the norm, not a new concept that regulators might crack down on. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina checks every box. ^{[1] — Henry Washington "Myrtle Beach pulls 18 million visitors a year, and investing in North Myrtle Beach's Cherry Grove area — outside the regulated city core — …" 17:40 Play} With 18 million annual visitors, 60 miles of coastline, and 78 golf courses, it's one of the country's most established tourist economies. The incorporated city of Myrtle Beach has some STR restrictions, but North Myrtle Beach's Cherry Grove area is investor-friendly and producing approximately $54,000 in annual revenue per property. High season runs June through August at 70–80% occupancy and $260–$300 per night; even the off-season winter months hold around $223 nightly. The math demands a careful eye on the mortgage payment during the slow months, but the overall numbers are strong.

Dave Meyer argues for driving-distance STR markets — places families can reach in 2–3 hours without booking a flight. Blue Ridge, Georgia fits perfectly, sitting between Atlanta and Nashville and within reach of Asheville, Charlotte, and even Chattanooga. It shares the appeal of the Smoky Mountains — outdoor activities, a large lake, hiking — but without the supply glut that is currently hammering returns for Smoky Mountain investors. ^{[1] — Dave Meyer "Blue Ridge, Georgia sits between Atlanta and Nashville, drawing visitors from Asheville and Charlotte — without the Smoky Mountains' supply…" 20:50 Play} Too many people bought Airbnbs in the Smokies, and now there's fierce competition for the same demand. Blue Ridge hasn't been flooded yet. Home prices range from $400,000 to $600,000 for quality properties, average daily rates top $350, and the best operators clear $100,000 annually. Meyer's playbook: buy bigger — 4 or 5-bedroom homes — because family-reunion and group-travel demand for larger properties outpaces supply, commanding a premium that justifies the higher purchase price.

Ashley Kehr's STR pick comes from personal experience: a snowboarding trip to Vermont that she found more enjoyable than Colorado. That piqued her curiosity, and the data supported her instinct. Morristown (with its village of Morrisville) sits close to Stowe and multiple other Vermont ski resorts, giving guests resort access without resort-town prices — homes range from $385,000 to roughly $500,000, compared to million-dollar Stowe properties. ^{[1] — Ashley Kehr "Vermont's Morristown (village: Morrisville) offers ski-resort proximity at a fraction of Stowe's prices, with homes in the $385K–$500K rang…" 24:05 Play} Crucially, unlike Breckenridge, which caps the number of STR permits, Morrisville regulates without limiting permit issuance — a meaningful distinction for investors worried about future regulatory lock-out. Vermont draws 13 million visitors annually across all four seasons: ski season in winter, foliage season in fall, hiking in summer. Dave Meyer enthusiastically validates the pick, noting that similar 'invest one town over from the resort' strategies have worked well for his own ski property in Colorado.

Dave Meyer admits he's stretching the rules by picking Hartford, Connecticut — a city he's championed as a long-term rental market — but argues the flip fundamentals are too strong to ignore. ^{[1] — Dave Meyer "Hartford, Connecticut is one of the few U.S. markets still growing faster than inflation, with renovated homes selling in 18 days and 55% o…" 27:35 Play} The median home price of $287,000 keeps all-in costs manageable, while renovated homes sell in just 18 days compared to 40 days for unrenovated properties, signaling that buyers will reward the work. Fifty-five percent of homes are selling above list price, meaning bidding competition is still alive in this market even as much of the country cools. Hartford sits roughly two hours from both New York and Boston, making it a magnet for commuters priced out of those mega-markets who are willing to drive a couple of days a week. Connecticut's tax advantages over Massachusetts and New York add further appeal. And if a flip doesn't sell on target terms, Hartford's rental market provides a credible fallback — something Henry Washington calls the essential secondary exit strategy.

Henry Washington doubles down on the secondary exit strategy thesis and picks two interchangeable Pennsylvania markets: Allentown and Reading. Allentown is the lead pick, and its defining asset is an abundance of century-old row houses that are structurally deteriorated and waiting for a skilled flipper. ^{[1] — Henry Washington "Allentown's stock of 1920s–1970s row houses lets investors buy distressed for $150K–$200K, spend $50K–$80K on renovations, and sell for $28…" 30:20 Play} The numbers are refreshingly clean: buy distressed for $150,000–$200,000, spend $50,000–$80,000 on renovation, and sell for $280,000–$340,000. No luxury finishes, no high-risk large-scale gut jobs — just affordable housing supply meeting a market of buyers who work at Amazon and Walmart warehousing facilities that have made Allentown a logistics hub. Population and job growth are both trending upward. Reading, slightly further from Allentown toward Philadelphia, hasn't boomed yet but is Washington's 'next up' pick — similar fundamentals, slightly less competition, and in a corridor where investors can still get in ahead of the wave.

Ashley Kehr's flip pick is Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a suburb south of Nashville that absorbs the overflow of buyers who can't afford city prices. The market has posted 5% year-over-year price growth, and the housing stock — predominantly 1990s to 2010s construction — is structurally sound but cosmetically dated, making it ideal for entry-level or risk-averse flippers. ^{[1] — Ashley Kehr "Murfreesboro captures Nashville's population overflow with 5% annual price growth and a sweet spot of 1990–2010 homes that are structurally…" 34:00 Play} No gut jobs, no foundation surprises, just new kitchens and bathrooms on solid bones. The median price of $400,000–$450,000 is higher than some peers, which Ashley acknowledges as a barrier for beginners, but the demand is there: homes average 28 days on market, and 30% of correctly priced properties go under contract within the first week.

The second sponsor block covers four products. Stessa is pitched to landlords who struggled through tax season, offering AI-powered income and expense tracking mapped to Schedule E categories automatically. Fundrise promotes its Flagship Fund, which has grown to over $1 billion in real estate assets in five years and accepts investments starting at $10. Airbnb promotes its co-host network, positioning it as a way for property owners to list their space without managing every detail themselves. Baselane, described as BiggerPockets' official banking platform, automates rental cash flow with dedicated property accounts and is running a $10,000 giveaway for investors who deposit qualifying rental income.

Ashley Kehr opens the house hacking segment with an ambitious pick: Boston, Massachusetts. Her methodology was straightforward — rank the top 20 markets by 30-year appreciation and find one she'd actually want to live in. Boston made the cut, and the strategic logic is sound. The city has an unusually large supply of duplexes and triplexes — multi-unit properties that are the bread and butter of house hacking — which not every American city can claim. ^{[1] — Ashley Kehr "Boston tops the 30-year appreciation charts and has an unusually large stock of duplexes and triplexes — exactly the asset type you need fo…" 38:45 Play} High rents mean the tenant in the other unit contributes substantially toward a mortgage that would otherwise be crushing, and appreciation has been consistently strong for decades. Dave Meyer reinforces the pick, noting that for people already living in Boston, house hacking may be the only viable path to making housing costs manageable. He also acknowledges the entry price will be high, but 5–10% down loans and sub-urban options within the metro can make the numbers work.

Dave Meyer gets personal with his house hacking pick. Raleigh-Durham is the market he'd move to if he were starting his real estate investing career from scratch — and the case is hard to argue with. The region's job market is among the strongest in the country, anchored by the Research Triangle's concentration of tech, biotech, and university institutions. ^{[1] — Dave Meyer "Raleigh-Durham combines one of the country's strongest job markets with home prices still accessible enough to house hack — duplexes under …" 40:50 Play} Despite all that demand, prices haven't yet hit the levels that make entry impossible: Meyer found duplexes still available under $400,000. Add in favorable weather, vibrant college-town energy from Duke and NC State, and a growing young-professional demographic that produces steady rental demand, and Raleigh-Durham checks nearly every box for a first-time house hacker looking to get into a genuinely appreciating market without breaking the bank.

Henry Washington's house hacking pick is the episode's most surprising: Riverside, California — the first California market to appear on this show. His criteria were deliberate: find expensive markets where home prices and rents are both above the national average, property taxes are manageable, and renting one duplex unit covers enough of the mortgage to make ownership meaningfully cheaper than renting outright. ^{[1] — Henry Washington "Riverside, CA is the first California market to crack this show's best-markets list. With a $537,000 median price and a duplex unit renting…" 42:40 Play} Riverside clears the bar. A $537,000 median home with 5% down at 6.2% interest produces a $3,000 monthly mortgage payment. Rent one duplex unit for approximately $1,500, and the owner's out-of-pocket drops to about $1,725 per month — roughly $1,000 less than renting a comparable unit in the same market. For California renters who feel permanently locked out of homeownership, Riverside offers a viable path in, with appreciation upside alongside the savings.

Dave Meyer closes with the episode's meta-lesson: the market is split in 2026, and picking the right place matters more than picking the right strategy in isolation. Whether you heard something that excited you about a specific city or just absorbed the analytical frameworks three experienced investors use to vet markets, the goal is the same — align your investment strategy with markets whose fundamentals actually support it. Meyer thanks Henry Washington and Ashley Kehr, promotes the BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie Podcast for newer investors, and closes out the show with the standard episode credits.

The episode closes with a standard BiggerPockets legal disclaimer reminding listeners that all content is for informational purposes and all investment involves risk. A Mint Mobile ad featuring a cameo by Ryan Reynolds follows, promoting the carrier's $15/month unlimited plan. Ashley Kehr reads the required fine print: the offer requires upfront payment of $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months, or $180 for 12 months, with taxes and fees extra.