The pandemic and remote work are resulting in new real estate trends.
We saw a big influx of out-of-town buyers in 2020 that was mainly fueled by the pandemic. I think what is driving home-buying decisions is interesting and we are seeing some new real estate trends in Bozeman.
As remote work becomes more of a permanent fixture in the workplace, I think we will continue to see new people coming into our state. (According to a survey done by Redfin in November and December 2020, 34% of respondents have already moved to a different city or area and another 33% would like to.)
New Real Estate Trends in Bozeman
People are buying more for lifestyle The lifestyle buyers envision for themselves is very location-oriented right now. Bozeman is an ideal town for many reasons: low population, plenty of outdoor activities, family-friendly community, great schools, etc. Whether companies let the people stay remote is tied to their productivity. I have heard many employers say they have been happy with productivity thus far.
Seller and buyer fatigue It’s a seller’s market in Bozeman right now. And many sellers are getting overwhelmed with multiple offers at once. On the flip side is buyer fatigue. The market is so heated and buyers are getting tired of multiple offers that they don’t win, so they just give up.
More sight-unseen purchases The competitiveness of Bozeman’s market is resulting in homes being bought sigh-unseen and more cash offers, as well.
Housing with remote work in mind
- Live/work: There are already a few live/work spaces in Bozeman and more coming down the pipeline. These will continue to gain traction with buyers who are looking for a totally separate workspace where they can set up an office. The great thing about live/work housing is that it is zoned for commercial use and has separate entrances for living and working spaces. Live/work housing gives you the option of having multiple people in the office with you or you could rent out the commercial space as an income generator.
- Future of home design: The pandemic brought on major paradigm shifts in what people want in their homes. The must-haves are now a dedicated room for a home office; a nice outdoor space for gathering with friends and neighbors; and a bonus room for the kids, working out, or just to escape family members. It will be interesting to see the future of home design now that many people will be working remotely indefinitely. There is a great article in The Atlantic about this.
iBuyers
iBuyers This is a fairly new way to buy/sell homes and I’m not sure what kind of presence they will have in Bozeman. iBuyers are online platforms that buy homes directly from a seller in a simple online transaction. Formula is generally that the firm will pay 95% market value for your home. And charge some additional fee but usually not as much as a real estate agent. The process is pretty streamlined but the value of your home is dependent upon a computer algorithm and doesn’t take anything special about your home into account.
The buying process can be fast. But there will not be a personal service that a real estate agent provides to help. You navigate all the issues that come with closing a large financial transaction. Established real estate players like Zillow and Redfin have gotten into the game. And it’s still to be determined how well consumers will embrace this trend. Check out this link for more info.
Our housing market is a whirlwind right now. If you have any questions on new real estate trends in Bozeman, feel free to contact me at liz@windermere.com.
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