Jacksonville #2 on Forbes list of cities to invest in housing

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville ranks number two in the country and first in the state when it comes to investing in the housing market in 2017, according to a Forbes list.

You’ve seen the developments and even the increase in traffic through the years.

It's a superficial sign that the River City is experiencing growth. Shahn Sarwary, a real estate consultant with EXIT Real Estate Gallery, has seen that growth firsthand.

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“I have friends from New York, and they come in town and they see a home that would -- they see the size of it and it would be $2 to $3 million (in New York) and you can get it here $200,000 to $250,000," Sarwary said.

Which is why it was no surprise to him that Jacksonville ranked so high on the Forbes’s list.

“We have so much land, we have so much room for growth, so I don't anticipate that slowing down whatsoever,” said Sarwary.

Sarwary, who specializes in residential, commercial and investment real estate, attributes the national recognition to large companies setting up shop in Jacksonville. He also said the continued improvements to downtown have helped.

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“They're looking and seeing the trends. They're understanding what's going on, what companies are coming in town,” said Sarwary.

According to Forbes, the average home price is $225,000, which is about $43,000 below the national average. Forbes also said Jacksonville’s population growth was at 5.1 percent from 2012 to 2015.

“It's definitely going to continue to grow,” said Sarwary.

Sarwary said that while every individual has different needs when it comes to investment properties, he said the important thing is to look at different factors before making a decision.

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