Typically, home shoppers would have to take their daily commute into consideration when weighing whether or not to buy a particular house. After all, no one likes sitting in traffic. So, generally speaking, the closer to work you live, the better. These days, though, the coronavirus has changed the way we work and it’s beginning to change how and where we live as well. In short, the fact that more Americans are able to work from home is starting to drive decisions about whether and where to buy a house. For example, a recent survey conducted on behalf of the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website found that 63 percent of respondents who were planning on buying a home in the next year indicated their decision was influenced by their ability to work remotely. George Ratiu, senior economist for the site, says the pandemic has given potential buyers options they didn’t previously have. “The ability to work remotely is expanding home shoppers’ geographic options and driving their motivation to buy, even if it means a longer commute, at least in the short term,” Ratiu said. “Although it’s too early to tell what long-term impact the COVID-era of remote work will have on housing, it’s clear that the pandemic is shaping how people live and work under the same roof.” (source)
