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In November, demand for second homes was up 83% from pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. This is an uptick from October’s 72% increase but still slightly below January’s record 91%.
Demand for second homes surged as pandemic-related lockdowns and a new era of remote work made vacation destinations more desirable, with many wealthy Americans opting to exchange cramped city life for more space. But even as the overall housing market has begun its typical seasonal cooldown, demand is expected to remain above pre-pandemic levels.
“A combination of permanent remote-work policies and record-low mortgage rates is contributing to an uptick in demand, with buyers racing to snag vacation homes before interest rates increase further,” said Redfin Deputy Chief Economist Taylor Marr. “I expect demand for second homes to remain strong for at least the full duration of the pandemic, which is now being prolonged by the spread of the Omicron variant.”
Redfin’s report is based on an analysis of mortgage-rate lock data from real estate analytics firm Optimal Blue. A mortgage-rate lock is an agreement between a homebuyer and a lender that allows the homebuyer to lock in an interest rate on a mortgage for a certain period of time, offering protection against future interest-rate hikes. Homebuyers must specify whether they are applying to secure a mortgage rate for a primary home, a second home or an investment property. Roughly 80% of mortgage-rate locks result in actual home purchases.
To view the full report, including charts and methodology, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/vacation-homes-november-2021
About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, instant home-buying (iBuying), rentals, lending, title insurance, and renovations services. We sell homes for more money and charge half the fee. We also run the country’s #1 real-estate brokerage site. Our home-buying customers see homes first with on-demand tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Customers selling a home can take an instant cash offer from Redfin or have our renovations crew fix up their home to sell for top dollar. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Since launching in 2006, we’ve saved customers more than $1 billion in commissions. We serve more than 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 6,000 people.
For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin’s press release distribution list, email press@redfin.com.
