A Celebrity Real Estate Expert Explains Why So Many Celebrities are Moving to the Sun Belt Region

Some celebrities are moving to the Sun Belt region. Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to celebrity real estate expert Ari Rastegar to learn more about it and why the rich and famous are choosing to relocate to this area of ​​the country.

Celebrities in the Sun Belt Region

house with pool | Digital Marketing Agency NTWRK via Unsplash

The Sun Belt is a region made up of 15 states. Some of the states in this region are Alabama, Arizona, Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Texas.

Celebrities living in the Sun Belt region include Cardi B (Georgia), Julia Roberts (California and New Mexico), and Sandra Bullock (Georgia and Louisiana). In 2019, Cardi B made headlines when she and her husband, Offset, bought five properties in the Atlanta, Georgia area. (Cardi B also made headlines when she landed her first residency in Las Vegas that same year.)

Why so many celebs are moving to the sunbelt

Modern home | Ralph (Ravi) Kayden via Unsplash

Why are so many celebrities moving to the Sun Belt region? Rastegar, founder of Rastegar Property Company, says this area offers many perks for homebuyers, such as tax benefits. He also says the sunny weather doesn’t hurt either. A mix of great weather and financial gains prompted some stars to pack up and move. Most are relocating from New York and parts of California outside the Sunbelt.

“One of the main reasons is that you get more bang for your buck and, more importantly, the tax benefits,” Rastegar tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “So the two big sunbelt states that people and celebrities are moving to are Texas and Florida. The main cities are Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida. By moving there and having these state income taxes, these celebrities who typically live in New York and California are saving enormous amounts of money just by moving.”

Adds Rastegar, “And the house and the location in general is a lot bigger and they have a lot more money to spend. That is the main reason, but also the nice weather climate and a lot of other reasons.”

The top cities in the sun belt

If you’re thinking of following the celebrities and heading to the sunbelt, you might be wondering which areas are the best. According to Rastegar, the top cities in the Sun Belt are Austin, Texas; Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Phoenix, Arizona. Some of the famous Nashville residents are Nicole Kidman, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban and Oprah Winfrey. (Parton revealed the sneaky way her husband makes sure no one lingers outside their home.)

What should be considered when moving to a new city?

Rastegar gave a few moving tips. He says one of the things to consider is whether the new city makes sense for his career.

“If you’re moving, you have to make sure it still works for your job,” says Rastegar. “A lot of celebrities, certainly actors and musicians, especially the musicians, can work from whatever studio they are in. That can work if some of the other people they work with in the studios – their sound engineers etc. – are able to work with them. But most of it can be done remotely. And the actors, if they have to be on set, go to set.”

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