It's not one market. It's a dozen.
"Memphis" covers a lot of ground: the historic mansions of Central Gardens and the Evergreen Historic District, the bungalow streets of Cooper-Young, the riverfront in Harbor Town and South Bluffs, East Memphis closer to the suburbs, and the medical district and downtown near the center of it all. Prices and character shift dramatically block by block, which is normal here — it's not a red flag, it's just how the city is built.
What ties it together is affordability. Memphis runs 40 to 50 percent below the national median home price, which means buyers get more house, more land, or more walkable character for the same budget than almost anywhere else in a major metro.
It also suits people who work downtown, at the medical district, or anywhere central — the commute math is simply different than it is from the suburbs 30-40 minutes out.