This article is reprinted with permission from The escape house, a newsletter for second homeowners and those who want to be. Sign in here. © 2021. All rights reserved.
Large city dwellers in the United States trying to quell the pandemic have shifted their search for vacation homes from the flashy, trendy places to remote areas. Name it in the extreme social distance.
The move – to small and rural towns – is mainly due to price and because more middle-class families, not just the affluent, are eager to take part in the movement, said Monica Neubauer, a broker and host of a podcast for the National Association, said. of brokers.
In established vacation home markets, such as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, or Nantucket, Mass., prices have moved beyond what normal people can afford, Ms. Neubauer said. Alternatively, she said, more people are looking at small towns near state parks or national parks that are affordable and yet offer a bit of a backlash from city life.
The escape house wanted to know which specific places are most popular with buyers and potential buyers. That’s why we asked Redfin RDFN,
the technology-driven real estate to help us figure it out. The results are somewhat surprising.
Redfin looked at micropolitan areas, which the government defines as a province with at least one city with a population between 10,000 and 50,000, often surrounded by even smaller cities or towns.
Redfin also considered rural areas. The company’s economists compiled a list of areas that had the largest percentage increase in searches on the Redfin.com website, in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019.
The best place on the list seems to be Marshall County, Ala. It contains Lake Guntersville, the largest lake in Alabama with more than 69,000 acres and is home to a thriving vacation home market fueled by the thriving city of Huntsville. The area includes Lake Guntersville Resort State Park, which is located along the banks of the Tennessee River and is considered a resort-style retreat.
The second most surprising find on the list is the number of times New Hampshire locations showed up. In fact, it seems that the “Live Free or Die” status is capturing the hearts, minds and wallets of a growing number of families seeking change. Of the top 20 locations, six were in New Hampshire, more than any other state.
Redfin also compiled a list of metropolitan areas with the largest total number of searches in the fourth quarter. Of the top 20 spots on the list, Washington State was primarily with seven spots, but New Hampshire came in second with four spots.
|
Small towns and provinces with the biggest change in pages |
Percentage change 2019-2020 |
|
Mashall, Ala. |
2817% |
|
Dodge, Neb. |
707% |
|
Douglas, Minn. |
637% |
|
Otter Tail, Minn. |
583% |
|
Klamath, Erts. |
567% |
|
Jasper, Iowa |
400% |
|
Cherokee, Okla. |
379% |
|
Cheshire, NH |
372% |
|
Becker, Minn. |
368% |
|
Essex, Vt. |
362% |
|
Harlan, Ky. |
360% |
|
Grafton, NH |
348% |
|
Sullivan, NH |
339% |
|
Belknap, NH |
336% |
|
Franklin, Kan. |
330% |
|
Wayne, Ind. |
322% |
|
Beltrami, Minn. |
316% |
|
Merrimack, NH |
311% |
|
Carroll, NH |
311% |
* Percentage change in pages from fourth quarter 2019
Source: Redfin
Why New Hampshire?
Buyers flock to New Hampshire for several reasons. The state is one of the countries with the least taxes. It has no government revenue or taxes. It also has favorable estate laws, an important issue for wealthy retirees. According to FBI crime statistics, New Hampshire has one of the lowest rates of violent crime. Only two other states, both in New England – Vermont and Maine – had lower crime rates than in New Hampshire last year.
Of course, house prices are also a consideration. In Cheshire Province, home to several colleges and on the southern border with Massachusetts, the average home price in December was $ 272,000, up nearly 24% from December 2019, according to New Hampshire Realtors Association. Turnover increased by 30%.
Redfin’s data shows that the number of pages for Cheshire increased by 372%, the most of any smaller place in the state.
The new Colorado?
Buyers are also drawn to New Hampshire’s reputation as a place to balance work and play, and where leisure activities include boating, skiing, hiking and cycling, said Christopher Masiello, CEO of the Masiello Group in Bedford, NH. . closed 7,500 home sale transactions last year; about half were vacation homes.
Mr. Masiello says many shoppers moving to New Hampshire try to repeat the outdoor lifestyle that often accompanies states in the West, but they want to stay on the East Coast. This explains why he and others refer to New Hampshire as the “New Colorado” on the East Coast.
“New Hampshire and indeed Northern New England – New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont – have similar lifestyle characteristics to those of Colorado,” which is widely regarded as a popular place to relocate and is usually referred to as the best residential area. “
It may, but keep in mind that cold air in humid places like the Northeast bird colder than cold air in dry places in Western states like Colorado. So you may not spend as much time outside in the Great North as you think. Unless you are applying the tax savings to a new hot tub.
This article is reprinted with permission from The escape house, a newsletter for second homeowners and those who want to be. Sign in here. © 2021. All rights reserved.