In the heated residential real estate market of the last two years, one factor contributing to fierce competition and rising prices has been real estate investors. While many prospective homebuyers were drawn into the market with historically low interest rates and strong savings and investment returns, they have frequently found themselves outbid by corporate landlords and investment firms. These firms have the wherewithal to pay cash for homes and greater ability to absorb risk when purchasing properties than individual buyers.

Institutional investors purchased a record 18.4% of all U.S. homes sold in the last quarter of 2021, up from 12.6% in the last quarter of 2020. While real estate investment has reached new heights over the last year, the number of homes purchased by investors has grown steadily since the collapse of the housing bubble and Great Recession in the mid-2000s. Between appreciation in home values and steady income from rents, residential real estate has proven to be an attractive asset class for major investors.

These attributes can also make real estate a desirable investment for individual investors and small landlords, especially those who have cash to make a purchase. But for investors who require a mortgage loan to buy a rental property, financing can be more difficult to come by.

Qualifying for a mortgage on an investment property is more difficult than for a principal residence, which is one reason why a majority of rental purchases are made with cash. While the typical property value for an investment purchase is lower than for a principal residence, lenders typically require larger down payments and lower debt-to-income ratios and command higher interest rates on the loan. In 2020, the mortgage for an investment property had a median down payment of $60,000 and a median interest rate of 4.0%, compared to $50,000 and 3.1% for a residence—even though residences had a higher median property value.

For investors who rely on financing to purchase property, most of the top locations for investment properties are found in the South. Arkansas (19.4%), Oklahoma (18.5%), and several surrounding states have high shares of investment property loans as a percentage of all purchase loans. These states have some of the lowest costs to purchase real estate in the country, which makes them more easily attainable for prospective real estate investors.

At the metro level, cities in these states are also among the most popular locations for mortgaged investment properties. But the list also includes some pricier cities where property values are growing rapidly, like Los Angeles, Austin, and Nashville.

The data used in this analysis is from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. Only conventional home purchase loans approved in 2020 were considered. To determine the locations where people are buying investment properties, researchers at Stessa calculated investment property loans as a percentage of all purchase loans. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater total investment property loans was ranked higher.

The analysis found that in Georgia, 8.9% of all purchase loans are for investment properties, just above the national mark of 8.5%. Here is a summary of the data for Georgia:

• Investment property loans as a percentage of all purchase loans: 8.9%

• Total investment property loans: 10,242

• Median property value for investment properties: $195,000

• Median down payment for investment properties: $50,000

• Median interest rate for investment properties: 4.0%

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

• Investment property loans as a percentage of all purchase loans: 8.5%

• Total investment property loans: 297,582

• Median property value for investment properties: $235,000

• Median down payment for investment properties: $60,000

• Median interest rate for investment properties: 4.0%

For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on Stessa’s website: http://stessa.com/blog/where-are-people-buying-investment-properties