DFW Is the Real Estate Market to Watch. Again.
For the third year in a row, Dallas-Fort Worth is the nation’s top real estate market to watch.
The region takes the No. 1 spot in PwC and the Urban Land Institute’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2027 report, ahead of Nashville, Miami, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco. Major business investments, commercial activity and a growing list of development projects are helping North Texas hold its position.
DFW also ranked second for homebuilding prospects, behind Houston.
What’s Keeping DFW on Top?
The report points to Dallas’ expanding financial services presence, including new hubs from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and the launch of trading on the Texas Stock Exchange. These investments bring jobs and demand for office space and nearby amenities.
The office market is showing progress, too. For seven consecutive quarters, newly occupied space has exceeded space vacated, although office vacancies remain elevated.
Industrial activity adds to the picture. Approximately 30.6 million square feet is under construction, and leasing of spaces larger than 500,000 square feet surpassed the previous annual record by September.
Dallas also earned the top position in Cushman & Wakefield’s 2026 global ranking of primary data center markets. Power availability remains a constraint on further growth.
Big Projects Could Reshape Familiar Places
Some of the region’s most recognizable redevelopment plans also feature in the report, including proposed mixed-use arena districts for the Dallas Mavericks at the former Valley View mall site and the Dallas Stars at the former Willow Bend mall site.
Airport expansions and the Dallas convention center redevelopment further illustrate the scale of investment underway or planned across the region.
The annual report draws on interviews and survey responses from nearly 1,500 real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada. Its rankings offer a look at industry expectations for investment, development and homebuilding in the year ahead.
For a closer look at the projects and trends behind the ranking, read the report’s Dallas-Fort Worth market profile.