red-hot housing

Houston boasts No. 20 hottest real estate market among big U.S. cities

Houston is a top-20 big-city housing market.

Getty Images

It doesn't get much hotter than the Houston housing market. A new report has ranked H-Town as the 20th best real estate market among America's biggest cities right now.

WalletHub's annual study, "Best Real Estate Markets (2026)," compares the real estate markets in 300 U.S. cities based on 17 relevant metrics, such as "housing market attractiveness," home value forecasts, housing affordability, population growth, and many others. Cities were also ranked by size: large cities with over 300,000 residents; midsize cities with 150,000-300,000 residents; and small cities with fewer than 150,000 residents.

In the overall ranking of the best housing markets in America, regardless of city size, Houston ranks 90th out of all 300 cities.

WalletHub ranks Houston's real estate market No. 102 nationally, and its "affordability and economic environment" ranks 111th overall.

This is how WalletHub ranks the "health" of Houston's housing market (where No. 1 is the best and No. 150 is average):

No. 51 – Job Growth Rate
No. 96 – Home Price as a Percentage of Income
No. 99 – Median Home-Price Appreciation
No. 128 – Foreclosure Rate
No. 159 – Share of Seriously Underwater Mortgages
No. 172 – Percentage of Delinquent Mortgage Holders
No. 173 – Median Days on the Market
No. 192 – Maintenance Costs as a Percentage of Income

Despite Houston's good standing among the biggest cities in America, a separate WalletHub report claims Houston is one of the worst cities for first-time homebuyers. Instead, Houstonians are turning to popular ZIP codes in suburbs like Cypress and Katy, which rank among the hottest places to move to in the U.S.

Other high-performing housing markets in Texas
Two popular North Texas suburbs — Frisco and McKinney — topped WalletHub's overall list of the best real estate markets in the U.S. for 2026 at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, and they locked in the top two spots in the midsize city ranking, too.

Frisco tops the nationwide "affordability and economic environment" category, and ranks No. 2 nationally for its real estate market.

"When you look at home prices as a percentage of income, [Frisco] is the 95th-cheapest among the 300 cities in our study," the report said. "But it’s the 11th-cheapest city for phone service and the 11th-cheapest for maintenance and energy."

Frisco boasts the highest share of houses that were built between 2010 and 2024, at nearly 47 percent, which WalletHub says is "good news for people who want all the benefits of a recently-constructed home," without having to "put in a lot of work" to renovate an older or run down home.

"If you aim to make a profit in the long run with your housing purchase, you’ll need to look beyond tangible factors like square footage and style," the report's author wrote. "Those factors certainly drive up property values. From an investor’s standpoint, though, they hold less significance than historical market trends and the economic health of residents."

Nearby Denton and Allen also made the overall top 10, respectively ranking as the 5th and 8th best real estate markets in the U.S. for 2026. Denton similarly ranked 5th in the midsize city rankings, and Allen topped the list of small cities.

The top 10 best real estate markets in America for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Frisco, Texas
No. 2 – McKinney, Texas
No. 3 – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
No. 4 – Durham, North Carolina
No. 5 – Denton, Texas
No. 6 – Cary, North Carolina
No. 7 – Madison, Wisconsin
No. 8 – Allen, Texas
No. 9 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 10 – Irvine, California

wallethub housing market real estate reports houston

a luxury escape

80 acre Houston-area estate with two ponds listed for $11.5 million

S Lazy S Ranch house exterior at 8502 Stansberry Road

Photo by Sky Crafted Imaging for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

S Lazy S Ranch in Wallis is for sale for $11.5 million.

Imagine acres of green vistas, tree-lined paths and the privacy that comes with a personal oasis. That’s S Lazy S Ranch, set on 80 acres at 8502 Stansberry Road in Wallis. It’s for sale for $11.5 million, listed by Rachel Hrncir with Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

Gated and fenced, this is a remarkable property meant for living, working, and entertaining, with exceptional indoor and outdoor spaces.

Designed in tandem by the seller and Houston architect Robert McKinney, a decorated amateur golfer who’s considered one of the top golf clubhouse designers in the United States, the home unfolds over more than 5,000 square feet and features a distinctive floor plan that maximizes its pond views and is flooded with natural light. From the rugged facade of San Saba stone to a host of contemporary conveniences, this is a space that offers elegant rustic living.

Photo by Sky Crafted Imaging for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

S Lazy S Ranch in Wallis is for sale for $11.5 million.

The interior’s spacious gathering areas provide opportunities for family relaxation and entertaining a crowd. The chef's kitchen has Viking appliances and is anchored by a large island with seating for five. An open plan provides seamless access to the dining room and living room, with vaulted wood ceilings and a huge stone fireplace.

A luxurious primary suite is a true retreat, with double glass doors opening to a covered patio, two walk-in closets, and a spa-like bath that boasts a jetted soaking tub set against huge windows offering beautiful views. The secondary bedrooms are designed as private suites, and a flexible bonus space can be a game room or other additional gathering spot.

Outdoors, find covered patios, an infinity-edge spa, outdoor kitchen, fire feature, two stocked ponds, and abundant wildlife.The barn includes four horse stalls, workshop, guest apartment, and equipment storage.

With a location south of I-10 and less than an hour from Houston, S Lazy S Ranch is a space that feels deep in the heart of Texas, yet is so close to modern living.