Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash
More Americans might be rockin’ the suburbs in the not-so-distant future. A new Zillow survey conducted by The Harris Poll suggests that 75 percent of Americans working from home would like to continue doing so post-pandemic. Of this cohort, 66 percent said they would consider moving if given the opportunity to work remotely as often as they want.
With less pressure to live within quick commuting distance of the office, buyers may begin seeking out larger, more affordable homes in the ‘burbs that still offer many of the conveniences they crave, like grocery stores, restaurants, fitness studios and entertainment venues.
After several months spent working from dining room tables (our sore backs may never recover), 31 percent of respondents in the ‘move’ camp indicated they would do so for a dedicated office space. Another 30 percent said they would like to live in a larger home, while 29 percent wanted a home with more rooms — perhaps to get away from their family members.
Among current households, 46 percent are fortunate enough to have a spare bedroom that could be converted into an office. In dense, high-priced markets like Los Angeles and New York, that percentage dips by more than 10 points.
An exodus to rural communities seems less likely to occur. Instead, telecommuters might consider moving to secondary cities where they can purchase a new home for $300,000 but still catch an art exhibition on the weekends.
Last week, Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman predicted a “seismic demographic shift toward smaller cities” during a Q1 earnings call. He pointed to metros such as Boise, Idaho, Bozeman, Montana and Charlotte, North Carolina as potential hotspots for new residents.
