Investor-friendly real estate agents in Nashville, TN
We match investors with vetted Nashville-area agents who own rentals, run the numbers, and know the local rules. Free for investors.
Get matched in Nashville6 vetted investor agents across the Nashville metro
Nashville is a growth market, not a cash-flow market. The metro has added people and jobs for more than a decade, but home prices ran up far faster than rents, so a median-priced rental financed at today's rates won't cover its costs. It also stopped being an easy Airbnb play years ago: Metro Nashville no longer issues new non-owner-occupied short-term rental permits in residential zones. What works here is buying below median, small multifamily, value-add, and land. Our vetted agents cover Davidson County and the surrounding counties, from Franklin and Spring Hill to Murfreesboro, Mount Juliet and Gallatin.
Small multifamily and commercial purchases across Nashville and the surrounding counties.
Value-add buys and resales, from agents who got licensed to flip homes themselves.
Land and development sales, plus prep-for-rent or prep-for-sale remodels when a property needs it.
Buy-side representation for rentals, with market and deal analysis before you offer.
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Is Nashville worth investing in? The long-term trends
People, jobs, rents and prices for the Nashville metro, straight from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Zillow. Hover or tap a chart for exact values.
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,651,748 |
| 2011 | 1,679,136 |
| 2012 | 1,711,938 |
| 2013 | 1,747,032 |
| 2014 | 1,784,058 |
| 2015 | 1,824,091 |
| 2016 | 1,864,558 |
| 2017 | 1,901,452 |
| 2018 | 1,935,244 |
| 2019 | 1,965,353 |
| 2020 | 2,021,837 |
| 2021 | 2,034,309 |
| 2022 | 2,078,824 |
| 2023 | 2,116,786 |
| 2024 | 2,162,758 |
| 2025 | 2,197,416 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2011 | +9,931 |
| 2012 | +15,547 |
| 2013 | +16,888 |
| 2014 | +18,984 |
| 2015 | +21,074 |
| 2016 | +23,298 |
| 2017 | +19,661 |
| 2018 | +16,132 |
| 2019 | +15,869 |
| 2020 | +18,421 |
| 2021 | +7,774 |
| 2022 | +27,120 |
| 2023 | +16,936 |
| 2024 | +14,443 |
| 2025 | +16,967 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 763,400 |
| 2011 | 787,000 |
| 2012 | 817,500 |
| 2013 | 847,100 |
| 2014 | 881,200 |
| 2015 | 915,600 |
| 2016 | 950,900 |
| 2017 | 984,000 |
| 2018 | 1,015,600 |
| 2019 | 1,046,100 |
| 2020 | 1,002,800 |
| 2021 | 1,055,500 |
| 2022 | 1,125,700 |
| 2023 | 1,164,200 |
| 2024 | 1,183,500 |
| 2025 | 1,191,300 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | $1,174/mo |
| Dec 2016 | $1,224/mo |
| Dec 2017 | $1,271/mo |
| Dec 2018 | $1,320/mo |
| Dec 2019 | $1,371/mo |
| Dec 2020 | $1,402/mo |
| Dec 2021 | $1,645/mo |
| Dec 2022 | $1,739/mo |
| Dec 2023 | $1,740/mo |
| Dec 2024 | $1,760/mo |
| Dec 2025 | $1,769/mo |
| Aug 2026 | $1,813/mo |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | $177,717 |
| Dec 2011 | $170,772 |
| Dec 2012 | $175,659 |
| Dec 2013 | $186,864 |
| Dec 2014 | $199,292 |
| Dec 2015 | $223,144 |
| Dec 2016 | $249,178 |
| Dec 2017 | $273,275 |
| Dec 2018 | $291,030 |
| Dec 2019 | $303,847 |
| Dec 2020 | $329,715 |
| Dec 2021 | $399,515 |
| Dec 2022 | $451,404 |
| Dec 2023 | $449,615 |
| Dec 2024 | $456,622 |
| Dec 2025 | $455,279 |
| Aug 2026 | $452,186 |
View data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 2015 | 15.8× |
| Dec 2016 | 17.0× |
| Dec 2017 | 17.9× |
| Dec 2018 | 18.4× |
| Dec 2019 | 18.5× |
| Dec 2020 | 19.6× |
| Dec 2021 | 20.2× |
| Dec 2022 | 21.6× |
| Dec 2023 | 21.5× |
| Dec 2024 | 21.6× |
| Dec 2025 | 21.4× |
| Aug 2026 | 20.8× |
Data retrieved October 15, 2026. Figures cover the Nashville metro area.
The numbers and rules that matter in Nashville
Zillow Home Value Index, Nashville metro, Aug 2026 (−0.6% YoY).
Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types, Aug 2026 (+0.8% YoY). Single-family 3-beds rent higher.
Typical rent ÷ typical home value. Well under the 1% rule; plan on cash flow from buying right, not from rents.
Over the past year: home values −0.6%, rents +0.8%.
Tennessee landlord-tenant basics
Davidson County and the big surrounding counties (Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner, Wilson, Maury) are all large enough to fall under Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Chapter 28), which applies in counties over 75,000 people. It's generally landlord-friendly. Smaller rural counties at the edge of the metro aren't covered by the Act — check the rules there.
- Security deposit: no statutory cap. Hold it in a separate account at a regulated financial institution and tell the tenant where it is. Return it, with an itemized list of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
- Nonpayment: serve a written notice giving the tenant a window to pay before you file a detainer warrant. The statute has used 14 days; a 2025 bill proposed 7 for newer leases, so confirm the current period with a Tennessee attorney before you serve one.
- Entry: no fixed statutory notice period for routine entry, but the tenant can't unreasonably refuse it, and emergencies need no notice. Most leases set 24 hours — put it in yours.
- No rent control: state law (T.C.A. § 66-35-102) bars cities and counties from controlling rents.
Short-term rental rules in Nashville
Metro Nashville (Davidson County) requires a short-term rental property (STRP) permit from Metro Codes for every short-term rental, and it splits them into owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied permits. For investors, zoning decides almost everything.
- Non-owner-occupied (investor) permits: Metro no longer issues new ones in residential zones (the AR2a, RS, R and RM districts). New ones are limited to mixed-use, office, commercial and downtown (DTC) zones, and in Specific Plan or PUD zones the plan's own rules control.
- Existing non-owner-occupied permits in residential zones can generally be renewed, but they don't transfer when the property sells. A listing marketed as a 'permitted Airbnb' in a residential zone likely loses that permit at closing.
- Owner-occupied permits are available in most residential zones if the property is your primary residence. That makes house hacking the realistic STR route in most Nashville neighborhoods.
- New non-owner-occupied permits also face minimum-distance rules from places like schools, churches, parks and daycares, and some buildings and HOAs ban STRs outright.
- STRs owe Tennessee sales tax plus Metro's hotel occupancy tax. Register with the Tennessee Department of Revenue and Metro, and confirm which taxes your platform collects for you.
- Franklin, Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and the other cities outside Davidson County set their own rules. Confirm zoning and permit status with the right city before you're under contract.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice — rules and fees change, so confirm with the city, the statute, or your attorney before you rely on them. Sources: Zillow Research data (ZHVI, ZORI) — Nashville metro; Metro Nashville Codes — Short-term rental property permits; Metro Code § 6.28.030 — Short-term rental property permits; T.C.A. Title 66, Chapter 28 — Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; T.C.A. § 66-28-505 — Failure to pay rent; HB 1345 / SB 1088 (2025) — proposed notice change.
Before you make an offer on a rental property, you need more than a gut feeling. Here is the step-by-step framework serious investors use to stress-test a deal on paper first.
Buying a rental out of state comes down to one thing: the quality of your local agent. Here is the five-step process that keeps investors from getting burned.
An investor-focused real estate agent does far more than open doors and write offers. Here is exactly what separates them from a standard residential agent, and why it matters for your returns.
Questions investors ask about Nashville
Which areas do your Nashville agents cover?
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Our vetted agent partners cover Nashville and Davidson County plus Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Thompson's Station, Nolensville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Mount Juliet, Lebanon, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Columbia and Dickson. If none of them is the right fit for your deal, we'll tell you upfront.
Is Nashville a good market for cash-flowing rentals?
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Not at median prices with a mortgage. Typical rent in the Nashville metro is around 0.4% of home value per month, far below the 1% rule. Investors buy here for long-run growth, or make the numbers work by buying below median, adding value through a rehab, buying small multifamily, or looking at cheaper towns at the edge of the metro.
Can I run an Airbnb in Nashville?
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As an investor, only in limited areas. Metro Nashville doesn't issue new non-owner-occupied short-term rental permits in residential zones; new ones are limited to mixed-use, commercial, office and downtown zones. Existing residential permits don't transfer when a property sells. In most neighborhoods you can only host in a home you live in. Cities outside Davidson County, like Franklin and Murfreesboro, have their own rules. Verify zoning before you buy.
Is Tennessee landlord-friendly?
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Generally, yes. There's no cap on security deposits, cities can't impose rent control, and nonpayment cases start with a short written notice before you can file. Davidson County and the large surrounding counties follow the state's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
Can I invest in Nashville if I live out of state?
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Yes. The key is an agent who will walk properties for you, attend inspections, and bring in contractors and property managers. That's a big part of how we vet the agents we refer.
What does it cost to get matched with a Nashville agent?
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Nothing. Agents Invest is free for investors. The agent pays us a referral fee only if you close a deal with them.
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