At this point in 2020, most of us are used to working from home at least part-time. Because of that, everyone has spent most of the last year reckoning with their living space. Extra bedrooms, garages, dining room tables, and the couch have become work spaces and classrooms. Due to the abrupt change to our working and educational lifestyle, many people have sought new homes to fill their new set of needs.
Without a commute, people have been able to move further away from the office. By and large, further out means more space—both inside and outside. The result of the COVID-19 pandemic is a massive influx of homebuyers away from large cities to suburbs or other parts of the country entirely—namely Idaho.
In fact, a realtor.com and Harris survey showed:
“In a June poll of 2,000 potential home shoppers who indicated plans to make a purchase in the next year, 63% of those currently working from home stated their potential purchase was a result of their ability to work remotely, while nearly 40% [of] that number expected to purchase a home within four to six months and 13% said changes related to pandemic fueled their interest in buying a new home.”
Larger homes with a dedicated home office or a spare bedroom are the most in demand right now. On top of that, larger backyards and easy access to outdoor activity are high priority to get everyone out of the house for a little while. Boise is certainly no exception. With our easy access to mountains, rivers, and parks, it’s easy to see why people are moving here. Boise was already the place to live, but Idaho’s popularity has skyrocketed this year. Because housing inventory is so much lower than last year, demand for new construction has increased.
As people have flocked to the urban centers of Boise, Meridian, and Eagle, new buyers are starting to expand their search into the desirable surrounding areas. These outlying towns offer more space while keeping the urban centers easily accessible.