Looking to ditch the crowded cities? Consider these 10 outdoorsy zip codes that are drawing Americans looking for affordable housing.
By Andrew DixonJanuary 22, 20234 mins read90 Views
A child lays in the grass in Clarksville, Tennessee, the No. 1 place that people moved in 2022, according to Opendoor.
Stephanie Bajak Photography/Getty Images
The draw of affordable suburbs was as strong as ever for movers as 2023 began, Opendoor data show.
The top zip codes for movers were all in the south, but popular cities like Miami missed the list.
Here are 10 places where home buyers settled in their quest for sunshine and a small-town feel.
Big cities: exit stage left. Movers are prioritizing a small-town feel and affordability over the bustle of urban centers — a trend that will likely continue this year.
The millions who purchased a home in 2022 preferred the outskirts of cities, according to an analysis of moving data by Opendoor, a so-called i-Buyer that makes instant offers on homes. That's a shift from a leading trend of 2021, when Americans flocked to blockbuster Sun Belt destinations like Miami and Austin, which have become increasingly unaffordable.
Suburbs that topped Opendoor's list — like Murfreesboro, Tennessee, outside of Nashville, and New Braunfels, Texas, situated in between Austin and San Antonio — boast housing that's more affordable than the rest of the country and are small enough to breed a sense of community.
Opendoor found that little has changed as the new year begins, even with the real estate markets cooled by high mortgage rates. People "would be motivated to move somewhere new for a more affordable cost of living," the company said in its report.
Median home prices climbed year-over-year for a record 130th consecutive month in December, while existing home sales continued to slow, the National Association of Realtors reported on Friday.
The sentiments reflected in Opendoor's report are abundantly clear to moving businesses like U-Haul and on-the-ground experts like real estate agents, who believe the trend is here to stay. There's little doubt that people who've already made the moves from pandemic hotspots to suburbs would agree.
But while dense cities may be out of vogue with movers, sunshine is still in. Americans want the warm temperatures and favorable tax policies that many southern states can offer, Opendoor's analysis shows.
The towns making Opendoor's top 10 are also within an hours drive from cities with a lot of jobs and parks, mountains, rivers, and streams.
Opendoor's ranking was derived through an analysis of homes sold in the 53 metro areas where it operates. While the list isn't all encompassing, it draws from data in every region of the country.
If you're pondering a move, and thinking like the millions who did so last year, behold, these zip codes are the ones to consider.
10. Murfreesboro, Tennessee A family watches the sunset over a field in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Malcolm MacGregor/Getty Images
Murfreesboro is a 42-minute drive from Nashville.
Most popular zip code: 37128
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $424,900
9. Leander, Texas Brushy Creek near Leander, Texas.
Kimberly Brotherman/Getty Images
Leander is a 30-minute drive from Austin.
Most popular zip code: 78641
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $517,750
8. Kissimmee, Florida Kissimmee, Florida.
Gina Pricope/Getty Images
Kissimmee is a 33-minute drive from Orlando.
Most popular zip code: 34747
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $338,000
7. Cypress, Texas A child rides a bicycle in a Houston suburb, similar to Cypress.
Libertad Leal Photography/Getty Images
Cypress is a 30-minute drive from Houston.
Most popular zip code: 77433
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $355,000
6. Summerville, South Carolina A park in Summerville, South Carolina.
gmc3101/Getty Images
Summerville is a 36 minute drive from Charleston.
Most popular zip code: 29486
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $324,00
5. Forney, Texas Forney, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, is known as the Antique Capital of Texas.
Joakim Sundström/Getty Images
Forney is a 27 minute drive from Dallas.
Most popular zip code: 75126
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $392,000
4. New Braunfels, Texas Mark Sorvillo and his family in front of their New Braunfels home. They were one of many families moving there from Austin last year.
Raad Alawan
New Braunfels, Texas is a 54-minute drive from Austin and a 36-minute drive from San Antonio.
Most popular zip code: 78130
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $392,000
3. Katy, Texas A father and daughter play with shadows in their backyard in Katy, Texas.
Brian Wagner/Getty Images
Katy is a 35-minute drive from Houston.
Most popular zip code: 77494
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $360,000
2. Yukon, Oklahoma Hay bales in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a 20 minute drive to Yukon.
p_h / 500px/Getty Images
Yukon is a 22-minute drive from Oklahoma City.
Most popular zip code: 73099
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $225,000
1. Clarksville, Tennessee Children holding hands in a flower field in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Cavan Images/Getty Images
Clarksville is a 57-minute drive from Nashville.
Most popular zip code: 37042
Typical home price, according to Redfin: $275,000
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By: [email protected] (Kelsey Neubauer) Title: Looking to ditch the crowded cities? Consider these 10 outdoorsy zip codes that are drawing Americans looking for affordable housing. Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/where-to-move-for-affordable-housing-tennessee-texas-2023-1 Published Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000
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