Some celebrities are moving towards the Sun Belt region. Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to fame real estate expert Ari Rastegar to learn more about it and why the rich and famous choose to settle in this area of the country.
Sun Belt Area Celebrities
The Sun Belt is a region made up of 15 states. Some of the states in this region include Alabama, Arizona, Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Texas.
Celebrities who reside in the Sun Belt area 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, purchased five properties in the Atlanta, Georgia area. (Cardi B also made news when she landed her first Residence in Las Vegas that same year.)
Why so many celebrities move to the Sun Belt
Why are so many celebrities moving to the Sun Belt area? Rastegar, founder of Rastegar Property Company, says that this zone offers many advantages for home buyers, such as tax advantages. He also says sunny weather doesn’t hurt either. A mix of good weather and financial perks prompted some stars to pack up and move. Most move from New York and parts of California outside the Sun Belt.
“One of the biggest reasons is to get more bang for your buck and more importantly the tax advantages,” Rastegar told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “So the two main Sun Belt states that people and celebrities travel 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 are usually in New York and California are saving huge amounts of money just by moving.
Rastegar adds, “And the house and the location in general is a lot bigger and they can put their money to work a lot further. This is the main reason, along with the climate favorable to good weather and a host of other reasons.
The best towns in the Sun Belt
If you’re thinking of following the celebrities and heading to the Sun Belt, you might be wondering what the best spots are. According to Rastegar, the major cities in the Sun Belt are Austin, Texas; Miami, Florida; Nashville, TN; and Phoenix, Arizona. Some of Nashville’s famous residents include Nicole Kidman, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, and Oprah Winfrey. (Parton revealed the devious way her husband makes sure no one lingers outside their home.)
What to consider when moving to a new city
Rastegar offered some relocation advice. He says one of the things to consider is whether the new city makes sense for your career.
“You have to make sure that if you move, it still works for your profession,” Rastegar tells us. “A lot of celebrities, certainly actors and musicians, musicians in particular can work from whatever studio they’re in. It 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 this can be done remotely. And the actors, when they have to be on the set, they move to get on the set.
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