By Mary Salmonsen | Builder
The COVID-19 pandemic—and its associated economic effects—has upended much of the conventional wisdom around determining where, and how, families want to live.
The advent of working from home has led to an exodus from “gateway” markets, as many folks who no longer need to commute seek out larger, cheaper options in the suburbs and exurbs. While not everyone is making the leap, the promise of strong job growth, lower costs of living, and lower-density environments have pushed a few markets into the single-family housing spotlight.
Working with Zonda chief economist Ali Wolf, BUILDER has selected five single-family markets—all of which appear on our latest Local Leaders list of the top 50 new-home markets ranked by closings—with demand fundamentals, economic conditions, and job activity worth watching in 2021.
