A new study has put Detroit on the list of best U.S. cities for first-time real estate investors.
The study by LLC Attorney evaluated the 100 most populous U.S. cities and scored the top 50 on factors tied to rental returns and landlord-friendly regulations to identify where novice investors could see the greatest upside.
Cities were scored on a 50-point scale across two main categories:
- Rental income potential (35 points): made up of average monthly rent (10), median sale price (10), gross rental yield (10) and market temperature (5).
- Landlord-friendly laws (15 points): scored using average eviction time (5), limits on security deposits (5) and the presence of rent-control policies (5).
Detroit ranked No. 9 was driven by low home prices combined with solid rental-yield opportunities, positioning it as an affordable Midwest option for new investors. The average monthly rent in Detroit is $1,200.
Top 10 U.S. cities for first‑time real estate investors (per LLC Attorney)
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Cape Coral, FL
- Cleveland, OH
- Garland, TX
- Miami, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Columbus, OH
- Detroit, MI
- Fort Worth, TX