Lakeland edges out big name cities to be Realtor.com's top market in 2019
By Kelsey Sunderland
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Feb 7, 2019

Lakeland has been named the top market of 2019 by Realtor.com.

Beating out cities such as Miami and Las Vegas, Lakeland is projected to have 5 percent sales growth and 7.4 percent price growth in the coming year, largely driven by a millennial population that is expected to take out a 32 percent share of mortgages.

The city's population is forecasted to grow 2.6 percent in 2019, contributing to the area's rising home prices which are expected to top 7.9 percent in 2019.

The median forecasted price for a home is $161,757, which is approximately $100,000 cheaper than the national median. >p>With employment growth expected to top 3 percent, forecasted income growth of 4.7 percent and a growing local economy that is expected to grow 4.9 percent in 2019, Lakeland is one of the up-and-coming cities for homebuyers.