Glossary for Investors

Tertiary Markets

Tertiary markets in real estate are smaller metro areas that are not large enough to be primary or secondary markets. Investments in these markets can be riskier, but have the potential for high returns. While there is no official industry standard for classification of real estate markets, there are generally agreed upon population thresholds.

Tertiary MarketsSecondary MarketsPrimary Markets
1 million people or less
Between 1 and 5 million people
More than 5 million people

For more on investing in tertiary markets and finding attractive basis away from gateway cities, please review this article.

Full Glossary