Phoenix is # 1 for net inbound moves
The pandemic has turned the meaning of home on its head and caused many of us to think about how and where we want to live. A new Zillow survey of inbound and outbound moves found that more than 1 in 10 Americans (11%) say they moved – voluntarily or because of circumstances – and contributed to the major reshuffle in the past year, and Millions of additional households could join the real estate market as a result of the pandemic.
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Moving remains a challenge, but today it may offer more opportunities than ever, thanks in part to the rise of remote working. That’s what inspired Zillow to release his very first Mover Report, a data-driven glimpse into the people and emotions that are driving this spring home shopping season. We found the following:
People want or have to move, even in a pandemic
Research by Zillow has found that a significant number of homeowners say they are more likely to move and sell their home due to the pandemic, representing another 8 million households that could enter a real estate market already driven by relentless demand.
Life and financial insecurity are among the main reasons homeowners haven’t put their home up for sale during the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccine is likely to change that and make many more people move. Zillow data shows that a large majority of homeowners (70%) say that with widespread vaccine distribution, they would most or completely feel comfortable moving into a new home.
More than 1 in 10 Americans (11%) have moved during the pandemic, according to a new survey by Zillow conducted online by the Harris Poll. Among these newcomers, three quarters (75%) said they moved for positive reasons, such as being closer to family or friends or living in an area they have always dreamed of. The new flexibility of teleworking has opened up these possibilities for many, and new real estate technologies, such as Zillow’s 3D house tours and interactive floor plans, have enabled moving companies to have a full experience of a home from hundreds or thousands of kilometers away, adding added confidence caters to buyers shopping remotely.
The sun belt is the top destinations for inbound removals
Phoenix, Charlotte, NC and Austin, Texas saw the highest net inbound moves in the first eleven months of 2020 as the recent moving companies looked for relative affordability and warmer weather. These Sun Belt metros are expected to continue the surge in inbound movements in 2021. Zillow’s panel of experts predicted that Austin and Phoenix housing markets will outperform the domestic market this year.
NorthAmerican® Van Lines data also shows that some of the largest and most expensive housing markets in the country experienced the highest net outflows, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. Zillow saw an increase in inventory for sale on these metros across the city, while inventory in the top cities for inbound moving nationwide hit new lows.
“The pandemic has accelerated the trends we saw in 2018 and 2019,” said Jeff Tucker, Zillow’s chief economist. “Affordable, medium-sized subway areas along the Sun Belt have significantly more people coming than going, especially from more expensive, larger cities further north and on the coasts. The pandemic has catalyzed purchases by millennial first-time buyers, many of whom can now work from anywhere. “
Moving remains stressful
The pandemic has brought about the rise of Zillow surfing as people try to escape their reality or create a new one. But the path from dreaming to moving can be fraught with financial, logistical and emotional obstacles.
Zillow’s survey found that nearly a third of recent moving companies (31%) say they have been dreaming of moving for a year or more. More than three quarters of newcomers (76%) say that emotional factors prevented them from their last move. Stress of not being financially prepared for the move and the expectation that the moving process would be difficult or stressful were the most common factors cited. Almost a quarter (23%) of newcomers said that worrying about their move causing stress to their child (ren) was keeping them from their most recent move.
These concerns are justified: Around half of all newcomers said they had experienced stress (55%) and anxiety (48%) during their last move.
Moving opens up new opportunities
More than half of Americans said they were happy (54%) and relieved (53%) after their last move. A large majority of recent moving companies – 80% – say their recent move paid off.
Many new moving companies say that starting a new chapter in their life is one of the most rewarding parts of moving to a new home. Almost 3 out of 5 newcomers (59%) state that positive life events have occurred since their last move. Most often, they state that they have fulfilled a dream or have become enthusiastic about something new.
This is what happened to Darren and Yolande Rollinson from Dallas, Texas, who say their two children loved it when they moved to their new home. The Rollinsons had lived in their self-described starter home for 24 years and needed more space, but they had postponed a move because of their demanding jobs and concerns about the stress of buying and selling a home.
The Rollinsons found their solution by selling to Zillow Offers. They avoided repairs, open houses, and demonstrations, and were able to set their closing date so they could move into their new home in less than a month. Her advisor at Zillow Offers walked them through the entire process, which they described as “peaceful, productive, and well-planned.”
“The future for us is growth,” says Darren Rollinson, who works in the medical field. “Now we believe we can do anything. We know we have achieved something. We can continue to grow and take bigger steps. “
Tech tools make the move easier
The pandemic accelerated the development and adoption of real estate technologies, which have helped eliminate some of the most stressful parts of a move. Virtual tools like Zillow’s 3D house tours and interactive floor plans make it faster and easier to buy a home and browse the options.
According to a study by Zillow, today’s shoppers overwhelmingly want these tools to be available during the home shopping process. Almost four in five (79%) Americans would like to see a virtual tour and digital floor plan when buying a home. Properties on Zillow with a 3D home tour were saved 32% more by buyers than properties without and received an average of 29% more views than listings without.
High tech services like Zillow Offers can remove the fear and uncertainty associated with traditionally selling a home and can time the sale with the purchase of a new home. Zillow can also finance and complete services digitally, allowing buyers and sellers to transact remotely.
… but a partner can make changes possible
A trusted real estate agent can be a steady hand and guide a homebuyer or seller through the whole process. Zillow Premier Agents are local experts who understand that moving house is both a physical and an emotional journey.
Cierra DeVille, a Zillow Premier Agent at Active Realty in Irvine, Calif., Relied on empathy and compassion to help a Nashville-based family overcome the stress of moving overseas. By listening to their unique needs and using their local knowledge, DeVille found the perfect off-market property.
“The excitement and gratitude they felt when I was able to give them exactly what they wanted when they wanted it was pure joy,” says Deville, who was helping the family move into their new home before her daughter’s fifth birthday Respectively. “There is nothing better.”
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