Record Share of U.S. Homebuyers Looking to Relocate, Phoenix Is #2 Inflow

Nearly one-third (32.3%) of Redfin.com users looked to relocate in January and February, according to a new report from Redfin, the technology-powered real estate brokerage. That’s up from 31.5% in the first quarter of 2021 and up significantly from 26% in 2019, before the pandemic began.

Homebuyers are relocating at a record rate largely because remote work is allowing many Americans the freedom to live in relatively affordable areas, with metros like Miami and Phoenix topping the list of places people are moving to. With U.S. home prices up 16% year over year in February and mortgage rates jumping from last year’s record lows, many homebuyers are priced out of their local markets. One of the only options is relocating to a more affordable area, particularly for first-time buyers who aren’t able to use proceeds from selling one home to buy another.

“Phoenix is a hotspot for out-of-town homebuyers. Some of them are relocating permanently, some are buying vacation homes and some are investors who turn the homes into rentals,” said Phoenix Redfin agent Heather Mahmood-Corley. “I recently worked with a young couple that’s turning their Seattle condo into a rental and moving to Phoenix because they can work remotely and afford a single-family home here.”

“As for the investors, it’s not just corporations coming to Phoenix—it’s individuals, too,” Mahmood-Corley continued. “They realize they can buy three rental properties here for the price of one in San Francisco. It’s a side hustle for some and a retirement plan for others.”

Buyers are flocking to Miami, Phoenix and Tampa

Miami was the most popular destination for homebuyers looking to relocate in January and February, unchanged from the second half of 2021. That’s measured by net inflow, or how many more Redfin.com users looked to move into an area than leave.

Next came Phoenix, Tampa, FL, Sacramento, CA and Las Vegas, NV. Sunny, relatively affordable metro areas perennially top the list of places homebuyers are looking to move. The trend has grown even stronger over the last year as remote work has become permanent for many Americans. Net inflow increased from last year in four of the top five destinations (Las Vegas is the exception).

“With out-of-towners driving up home prices in Phoenix, a lot of local first-time buyers have bowed out of the market,” Mahmood-Corley said. “They just don’t have the cash to compete, especially when there’s such limited inventory. Oftentimes, the only homes that are both available and affordable are too far out of town for them.”

Top 10 Metros by Net Inflow of Users and Their Top Origins
Rank	Metro^*	Net Inflow, January and February 2022^†	Net Inflow, January and February 2021	Portion of Searches from Users Outside the Metro, January and February 2022	Portion of Searches from Users Outside the Metro, January and February 2021	Top Origin	Top Out-of-State Origin
1	Miami, FL	13,835	7,503	34.5%	32.0%	New York, NY	New York, NY
2	Phoenix, AZ	12,501	10,455	38.1%	38.9%	Los Angeles, CA	Los Angeles, CA
3	Tampa, FL	9,052	6,003	50.0%	60.2%	Orlando, FL	Washington, DC
4	Sacramento, CA	7,936	7,184	42.4%	48.0%	San Francisco, CA	Seattle, WA
5	Las Vegas, NV	7,911	9,094	44.2%	53.1%	Los Angeles, CA	Los Angeles, CA
6	Cape Coral, FL	6,620	5,631	67.3%	76.8%	Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL
7	North Port, FL	5,970	3,976	66.4%	79.5%	Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL
8	Dallas, TX	5,429	7,790	25.9%	33.3%	Los Angeles, CA	Los Angeles, CA
9	San Antonio, TX	5,373	3,238	44.7%	48.2%	Austin, TX	Los Angeles, CA
10	Atlanta, GA	4,820	7,403	20.4%	26.8%	New York, NY	New York, NY
*Combined statistical areas with at least 500 users in January and February 2022 †Among the two million users sampled for this analysis only

Buyers are moving away from coastal California and New York

More homebuyers looked to leave San Francisco than any other metro in January and February. That’s measured by net outflow, or how many more Redfin.com users looked to leave an area than move in.

Next came Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C. and Seattle. Expensive coastal metros typically top the list of metros homebuyers are looking to leave, a trend that has grown stronger with the pandemic. Significantly more Redfin.com users looked to leave San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Seattle in January and February than a year earlier.

Top 10 Metros by Net Outflow of Users and Their Top Destinations
Rank	Metro^*	Net Outflow, January and February 2022^†	Net Outflow, January and February 2021	Portion of Local Users Searching Elsewhere, January and February 2022	Portion of Local Users Searching Elsewhere, January and February 2021	Top Destination	Top Out-of-State Destination
1	San Francisco, CA	45,463	35,565	23.9%	24.2%	Sacramento, CA	Seattle, WA
2	Los Angeles, CA	30,999	23,553	18.7%	18.4%	San Diego, CA	Phoenix, AZ
3	New York, NY	25,240	38,104	27.5%	34.7%	Miami, FL	Miami, FL
4	Washington, DC	21,322	14,245	16.9%	14.7%	Salisbury, MD	Salisbury, MD
5	Seattle, WA	20,568	8,490	18.9%	16.4%	Phoenix, AZ	Phoenix, AZ
6	Boston, MA	11,743	4,001	18.9%	14.9%	Portland, ME	Portland, ME
7	Chicago, IL	8,869	8,161	14.4%	13.7%	Cape Coral, FL	Cape Coral, FL
8	Denver, CO	4,016	6,279	27.6%	29.9%	Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL
9	Portland, OR	2,444	-542	18.4%	17.6%	Seattle, WA	Seattle, WA
10	Minneapolis, MN	2,150	-437	25.2%	20.7%	Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL
*Combined statistical areas with at least 500 users in January and February 2022 †Among the two million users sampled for this analysis only