Now that people are spending more time at home and are using less of their time for long work commutes and constant daily activities their priorities and requests for what makes a comfortable lifestyle are changing. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that there are more and more home buyers paying more attention to the neighborhood a home is in and how community-centered or neighborly it feels since the pandemic began.
In the article, the Wall Street Journal stated that big names in real estate have noticed buyers changing the way they look for their next home. More of their customers are looking for a neighborhood, it has become a critical determining factor in purchasing a home for many buyers.
A survey recently conducted found that a significant 69% of the 2,500 people who took the survey said they have gotten to know their neighbors better during the pandemic. Sixty-five percent of those surveyed have reported they made an effort to be more outgoing and friendly than in the past. Fifty-seven percent of survey responders have said that neighbors are helping to fill the void of being able to visit friends and family because of stay at home orders. Over half of the people surveyed have had at least one socially distanced gathering with their neighbors. This survey was conducted by ImproveNet.
The Wall Street Journal also reported in their story that with more Americans working from home, people have replaced chatting with co-workers in the lunchroom or mingling at the water cooler with walks around the block and driveway cocktail parties at the end of the day to help fill the social aspect of working in an office or meeting up with friends at the bar.
Some agents are starting to encourage their clients to not just get to know what is in a neighborhood but who is in a neighborhood before deciding to buy a home there. Some realtors are giving their clients the advice to join online groups for the neighborhood in which they want to live to get a feel for the people there. Buyers can find groups like this on Facebook and even through an app called Nextdoor with the specific purpose of bringing neighbors together.
More and more people want to not only enjoy their home but their neighborhood and neighbors as well. They want to feel a sense of community and not like they are alone on a “desert island” that is the confines of their property lines. Having great neighbors is at the top of many people’s want list.
There are many great small beach towns with friendly folks that know each other well here on the forgotten coast. For more information on homes in the Forgotten Coast in great neighborhoods please contact us any time.
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