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Best places to be a homeowner? Here's one take:
1. Portland
2. Phoenix
3. Atlanta
4. Las Vegas
5. Minneapolis-St. Paul
6. Indianapolis
7. Salt Lake City
8. Denver
9. Louisville
10. Nashville
Source: Bankrate
Sure, a lot of what makes a place good is subjective, but it’s still better to be third from the top than third from the bottom.
And that's where Atlanta is, according to Bankrate.
Third from the top, that is.
Portland is number one, Phoenix is second and they apparently needed a town that didn’t start with ‘P’ for third – so there we are.
Among the 50 largest metro areas, Atlanta has the 6th-lowest property taxes, based on the latest data available, says Bankrate, which provides consumer information, analysis and advice. Metro Atlanta prices were the 8th-fastest rising, which – if you are an owner – is great news.
Prices average almost 11 higher per year since 2011.
Of course, if you're a buyer, this is not necessarily terrific news, but that's not what Bankrate is measuring here.
Bankrate’s report cites the “mild weather, a vibrant bicycle culture and downtown streets canopied by stately trees.”
But the winning argument for Bankrate is that Oregon has the lowest average property insurance premiums they saw, just $568 a year. Portland also had a low foreclosure rate, low home-maintenance costs and energy bills.
Another factor that makes owning look good: Rents have been soaring in Portland.
On the negative side, if you don’t own a home already, you might have trouble: Portland is the 8th least-affordable of the largest 50 metro areas.
“Typically, it takes almost 47 percent of household monthly income to buy a home,” according to Bankrate.
Bike paths better be darned good.
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