It seems just about everything about the way we live changed in 2020. Home buying was no exception. The coronavirus altered both the way we shop for homes and what we we look for in a house. With more Americans able to work from home, there was a well-documented spike in searches for homes further from city centers, in suburbs and exurbs. There’s also been sustained demand for bigger homes with more rooms. In fact, according to one recent analysis, buyer demand for homes with more bedrooms and extra space saw double-digit increases year-over-year. For example, Atlanta saw a 103 percent spike in buyers searching for five-bedroom homes compared to the same time last year. Similar gains were seen in other cities. Chicago reported a 80 percent increase in showings for four-bedroom homes. Demand for five-bedroom homes was up 73 percent in St. Louis. Overall, it’s clear that there’s a trend toward bigger homes with more space and it’s likely to continue – especially since it looks like many Americans will be able to work remotely, even once the pandemic has subsided. (source)
