The Strongest U.S. Housing Market...BOULDER!!!! (duh ;)
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/aug2009/bw20090810_741278.htm
No. 1: Beautiful Boulder
Boulder was one of several college towns on the list, which also
included a few military towns such as Fayetteville, N.C., and
Jacksonville, N.C. Both government and university jobs have been
relatively reliable during this recession. Affordability also seems to
be a plus in this economy. Oklahoma City; Tulsa; Binghamton, N.Y.;
Springfield, Ohio; Cumberland, Md.; and most other metros on the list
have median home prices below $200,000 (some are under $100,000).
Boulder has several factors working in its favor. The town has
controlled growth by putting limits on development and by acquiring
more than 50,000 acres of open space for a greenbelt that surrounds the
town. With the boundary of the Rocky Mountains to the west, the supply
of new homes has been restricted.
Boulder's economy and housing market have slowed, but the University
of Colorado provides jobs and a steady flow of tenants for the area's
many rental homes. Demand for housing is also strong in part because
the area is so pretty, said Tom Thibodeau, global real estate capital
markets professor at the University of Colorado.
"Every year 5,000 undergraduates enter, and they don't want to leave when they graduate," Thibodeau said.