by Julia Pierrepont III
LOS ANGELES, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Before the onslaught of COVID-19, exorbitant real estate prices in large U.S. metropolitan centers had driven some residents to look further afield for more affordable housing.
But when the pandemic struck, the majority of the country's workforce shifted to remote and work-from-home practices, and living within a reasonable commuting distance to a central office was no longer a limiting factor. Thus, the mass exodus from the metropolises began in earnest, driving the rents and housing prices in small towns and cities higher.
Suddenly, small towns and mid-sized cities were the next "big things," even as many major U.S. metropolitan areas saw life begin to normalize this spring and more workers head back to offices.
Places like Sacramento in California, Charlotte in North Carolina, Boise in Idaho, Spokane in Washington state, Amhurst in Massachusetts and others saw their rents and housing prices go through the roof.
"Many of these markets had been heating up prior to the pandemic," said a recent report released early June from apartmentlist.com, an online marketplace with more than 4 million apartment units listed on it.
"The pandemic and remote work spurred demand for the space and affordability that these cities offered, and in response, rent prices grew even as the surrounding economy struggled," the report added.
In 2020, Sacramento was the 19th most expensive rental market in the country. According to apartmentlist.com, Sacramento in the past year leapt to the 14th place, edging out traditionally pricier places like Seattle and New York City.
Compared with a year ago, the report indicated that the prices in Fresno, California had jumped up 17 percent; 22 percent in Spokane; while those in Glendale, Reno, Mesa, and Gilbert in Nevada all spiked 16 percent, and were even 31 percent up in Boise, Idaho.
Along with proximity to jobs or responding to remote work options, pundits said that housing affordability was still a huge determining factor.
About 2,500 U.S. dollars in Los Angeles might get residents a small one-bedroom apartment in the less trendy neighborhoods, while the same amount could get them a three-bedroom house with a large, leafy yard and plenty of room for outdoor fun and BBQs in Sacramento.
It's also important to note that a dollar can be stretched much further on groceries, restaurants, utilities, etc., than it can in metropolitan areas.
Also, rents and housing prices in small towns and cities in the country grew for many other reasons.
The safety and wholesomeness of rural and suburban areas were also a big draw, the report said, and it's usually healthier and more relaxing to live in the countryside, with far less violent crime.
There are also other perks to living away from major cities: the endless opportunities for hiking and biking through scenic vistas, camping in towering forests or boating on limpid lakes.
Rural America is steeped with history from the Native American, Colonial and Civil War eras, and is loaded with charming parks, local museums and fun county fairs. It also boasts many sophisticated and savory micro-breweries, wineries, and farm-to-table restaurants.
And let's not forget sports! Baseball, football, soccer and basketball are all draws for avid sports fanatics. For a gardening or cooking fan, more people try their hands at growing their own vegetables and cooking up delicious fresh meals with locally sourced ingredients.
"There's always something going on," said Joyce Krenz, a real estate agent with Century 21 Red Shoe Realty. "In winter, a lot of the parks have snow hills for sledding, and there are several lakes close by for people who want to do ice fishing."
The rise in movements like food first, ecological civilization and rural revitalization are also contributing factors.
"It all starts with the land and our opportunity to live in harmony with it," Professor John Cobb, founder and director of the Cobb Institute for Ecological Civilization, told Xinhua Monday.
"And I hope to see this trend continue in America as it is elsewhere," the professor said.
So far the most compelling attraction is the small town ambience, where the pace of living is slower, friendlier, people know their neighbors and feel a much deeper sense of connection and community -- something sorely lacking in the pandemic era.
Smaller and mid-sized cities with colleges or universities are also in high demand, bringing an influx of fresh ideas to the area as well as literary and cultural elements to enjoy.
A recent Gallup Survey reported that nearly half of U.S. adults would prefer to live in a small town or rural area, up almost 10 percent since 2018. Conversely, only 27 percent wanted to live in a city and 25 percent yearned for the suburbs.
"We've seen home shoppers prefer larger homes with more outdoor space as a result of the pandemic, and home-shopping interest has increased in areas that offer outdoor activities such as beaches or skiing," said Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com. Enditem
