Moving to Memphis? A Relocation Guide for Out-of-State Buyers in 2026
Kelly Day July 6, 2026
Kelly Day July 6, 2026
Memphis has become a popular landing spot for people relocating from higher-cost metros, drawn by lower housing costs, no state income tax, and a lower overall cost of living without sacrificing big-city amenities like an international airport, a growing medical and logistics job market, and a genuinely rich music, food, and cultural scene.
Most newcomers don't actually settle within Memphis city limits — they land in one of the surrounding suburbs, where schools, safety, and space tend to be the deciding factors. Knowing that upfront can shape your entire home search.
Germantown, Collierville, Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland, and Cordova each offer a distinct flavor of suburban life, from established, tree-lined streets to newer subdivisions still being built out. If you're moving sight-unseen, it's worth spending a weekend visiting a few of these before committing, ideally on a weekday when you can see traffic and commute patterns firsthand.
Consider what matters most: top-tier schools, walkable town centers, larger lots, or simply the lowest possible price point for a given square footage. Prioritizing two or three factors makes the search far more manageable than trying to optimize for everything at once.
Housing remains the biggest advantage for people relocating to Memphis from coastal or northeastern markets — the same budget that buys a small condo elsewhere often buys a spacious single-family home with a yard in the Memphis suburbs. Property taxes vary by municipality, so it's worth comparing rates across the suburbs you're considering rather than assuming they're uniform.
Utilities, groceries, and everyday expenses also tend to run below national averages, which is part of why so many remote workers and retirees have chosen Memphis as a landing spot in recent years.
Memphis doesn't have the traffic congestion of much larger metros, but commute times still vary meaningfully by suburb. Cordova and Bartlett tend to offer the shortest commutes into East Memphis and downtown, while Collierville and Arlington sit further out but offer more space and newer construction in exchange.
If you'll be commuting regularly, it's worth test-driving your likely route at actual rush hour before you buy — a 20-minute commute on a map can look very different at 7:45 on a Tuesday morning.
Relocating from out of state means assembling a team you trust before you ever set foot in your new home: a local real estate agent who knows the suburbs well, a lender familiar with Tennessee's process, and ideally a moving company experienced with long-distance relocations.
A good local agent can also serve as your eyes and ears for neighborhood-level details that don't show up online — noise from a nearby road, an HOA's actual rules versus its reputation, or which streets flood during heavy rain.
Most successful long-distance moves start 60 to 90 days out: get pre-approved for financing, narrow your suburb list, and schedule a house-hunting trip. From there, plan for 30 to 45 days between an accepted offer and closing, plus time to coordinate movers and utility transfers.
Building in a little buffer — a week or two of overlap between your old and new housing if possible — takes enormous pressure off what's already a stressful process.
The most common misstep is buying based on a single weekend visit without accounting for seasonal differences — a neighborhood that feels perfect in mild weather can feel very different during a humid Memphis summer. Another frequent mistake is underestimating how much space and storage you'll actually want once you're no longer paying big-city prices for square footage.
It's also worth resisting the urge to rent first "just to be safe" if you've already done your homework — in a market where good inventory moves quickly, buyers who wait an extra six months sometimes find themselves priced out of the exact suburb they wanted.
Thinking about your next move in the Memphis area? Whether you're buying, selling, or just exploring your options, I'd love to help you navigate it with confidence. Reach out any time — I'm always happy to talk through what makes sense for your situation.
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We'd love to hear from you! Whether you're buying, selling, or just exploring your options, we're here to provide answers, insights, and the support you need. Contact us and start planning your next move.
