Population drain persists in big cities

People aren't moving to big city centers like they used to, even as employers ramp up calls to return to the office.

Why it matters: Affordability is still drawing folks to less dense and cheaper areas, particularly those in the booming Sun Belt.

Driving the news: A new report from the National Association of Realtors showed that major metro areas like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago saw more people leaving than moving in.

• Instead, people fled to cities in Florida, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina.

• The Miami metro area experienced the largest inbound increase from before the pandemic, which saw gains of nearly 60% in 2022 compared to 2019. Houston experienced the highest move-in rate for 2022.

What they're saying: "Pre-pandemic, we had a different trend. People wanted to move to big city centers," Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of real estate research at the National Association of Realtors, tells Axios.

• More people are moving to those cities compared to 2021 but "we're not there yet," Evangelou says of metro areas regaining the population that fled.

Between the lines: Across the board, the report found, fewer people moved last year, continuing a trend from 2021.

• The report analyzed the United States Postal Service’s change-of-address data to spot migration trends.

• Nearly 70% of U.S. ZIP codes posted fewer inbound moves in 2022 compared to 2021, according to the data.

• The slowdown has persisted as droves of people sought more space and cheaper cost of living during the pandemic.

Keep reading.

Related Links

• Rents Are Still Rising—but Not By Much. Are the Steep Hikes Finally Over?

• Why It Makes Sense To Move Before Spring

• Here’s a Creative, Rental-Friendly Way to Repurpose Old Clothing Into Home Decor

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Humane Society stays at capacity, seeks pet adopters

The Carteret County Humane Society animal shelter is at capacity, and Manager Rachel Hardin doesn’t see an end in sight.

“We’ve been at capacity for months, and we haven’t had a break,” she said Jan. 23. “We normally get a reduced amount of turn-ins in the winter, but we haven’t seen a slow up.”

The shelter, on Hibbs Road in Newport, is currently housing 244 animals, but ideally Hardin likes to keep the shelter at 130 cats and 80 dogs.

This dog stares out of a kennel Jan. 23 at the Carteret County Humane Society Animal Shelter in Newport, which has stayed at capacity for many months. (Cheryl Burke photo)

Hardin said the two main reasons people are giving for surrendering pets is they are moving and they can no longer afford to care for their animals.

“Food has gotten so expensive, and so have vet bills,” she said.

While she encourages people to have their pets spayed and neutered to avoid overpopulation, Hardin said many are struggling to pay for the surgery.

“Spaying and neutering pets is the best way, but people tell me they can’t afford it, so they can’t do it,” Hardin said.

This dog is among many up for adoption Jan. 23 at the Carteret County Humane Society Animal Shelter in Newport, which has stayed at capacity for months. (Cheryl Burke photo)

Regardless, she appealed to pet owners to do everything in their power to spay and neuter and “be responsible pet owners.”

Hardin said to cut down on the number of owner turn-ins, the shelter is working with owners to see if there are other ways to avoid them having to give up their pets.

“If they need help with food, we can help with some of that,” she said. “We are also trying to do turn-ins by appointment so we’re not getting overrun with owner turn-ins all at the same time.”

Hardin said she also periodically posts appeals on the shelter’s Facebook page.

This cat up for adoption Jan. 23 at the Carteret County Humane Society Animal Shelter in Newport rests in a free-roaming cat room. The shelter is at capacity and needs adopters and for pet owners to spay and neuter their animals to avoid overpopulation. (Cheryl Burke photo)

“We’ve had a few cats adopted because of that,” she said.

In the past, the Humane Society has shipped animals to other rescues in northern states, which have a better track record of pet adoptions, but Hardin said most of those are now at capacity.

“We need people who are willing to adopt and share our Facebook posts,” she said.

The cost to adopt from the shelter ranges from $70 to $125. She said they are also working to reduce costs in certain situations. The adoption fee includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and more.

The shelter also welcomes donations of supplies and currently has a special need for cat litter, kitten food and laundry detergent. Monetary donations are also welcome.

Volunteers and foster families are welcome as well.

Those interested in dropping off donations can come by the shelter 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information about adopting a pet or other ways to help, call the Carteret County Humane Society, 252-247-7744, or go to cchsshelter.com. 

Learn more here.

Related Links

• Owners propose redevelopment of Oceanana Pier property

• As Featured in West + Main Home Magazine: The Seamless Transition of Bringing the Outdoors, in

• Carteret County Real Estate Market Report from December 2022

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Rents Are Still Rising—but Not By Much. Are the Steep Hikes Finally Over?

The rent may still be too damn high, but at least it isn’t skyrocketing anymore.

That’s the message from the Realtor.com® monthly rental report, which shows a welcome cooling-off after the craziness of the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Rental prices in the largest metropolitan areas across the country rose 11.6% for the full year in 2022 but downshifted steadily throughout the year. By December, prices were only 3.2% higher, compared with the same month a year earlier.

Nationally, the median monthly rent was $1,712 in December—down $69 from the peak in July.

However, the national numbers mask enormous differences in metros around the country, where the locations people are moving to and from are reversing. And instead of embarking on costly, cross-country moves or striking out on their own, many renters are staying put.

“Inflation is high, living costs are high,” says Realtor.com economist Jiayi Xu. “Instead of people looking for a new place, they may be staying where they are or maybe moving in with their families. The formation of [new] renter households is decreasing.”

Notably, some of the hottest metro areas during the pandemic are now experiencing annual price drops. Take Tampa, FL, for example. Rents were down 4.3% year over year in December in the Florida metro. Prices also slipped 4.5% in the Las Vegas metro area.

Slower price gains and even declines are a welcome change, Xu notes. But she points out that prices in many pandemic hot spots are still elevated, raising affordability concerns. The median monthly rental price in Tampa—for homes of all sizes—was $1,760 in December, for example. In Miami, it was $2,682.

Even as the Sun Belt cools, some of the big cities that people fled in the early days of 2020 are heating back up. In December, rental prices were up 12.2% in the New York City metro and a whopping 17.5% in metro Chicago.

The biggest rent growth in 2022 was seen among studio apartments, the report found—a reversal of the 2021 trend in which larger units commanded the biggest increases, as folks were stuck inside and clamoring for more space. Studios are much more common in bigger cities like New York City, Chicago, and Boston, where people are now flocking.

Rich Harty, who co-owns Harty Realty Group in Chicago, isn’t surprised that Windy City prices are through the roof.

“There’s so little inventory, and people have nowhere to go,” Harty says.

Chicago has gotten a boost in recent years from some high-profile corporate tenants, including Google and McDonald’s. The latter transferred its headquarters from the suburbs into the trendy West Loop neighborhood in 2018.

Those moves have attracted plenty of professionals to the city, particularly to higher-end rentals. This might be helping to skew some of Chicago’s numbers higher, Harty believes.

Keep reading on Realtor.com

Related Links

• Homebuilders are pushing through inventory backlog

• Why It Makes Sense To Move Before Spring

• Here’s a Creative, Rental-Friendly Way to Repurpose Old Clothing Into Home Decor

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Here’s a Creative, Rental-Friendly Way to Repurpose Old Clothing Into Home Decor

Clothes and fabric — much like trinkets from travels, pieces of furniture, and cards from birthdays past — can hold a ton of sentimental value.

Whether it be a T-shirt from a favorite concert, a scrap of sample fabric from a project long-since completed, or an article of clothing from a loved one, people cling to certain pieces much longer than others. But what do you do when that item no longer fits? Sure, you could tuck it in the back of a drawer or store it high up in the closet. What if I told you there’s a clever, rental-friendly DIY project you can use if for instead, though? That’s right. Two words: fabric wallpaper.

“I love using vintage fabric as wallpaper,” says Gretchen Raguse of her Portland, Oregon home, which features this crafty hack in more than one spot. Where’d she get her inspiration? None other than Apartment Therapy! “I came across this idea on Apartment Therapy a few years ago and knew I needed to try it out in my own space,” says Raguse. “I started with an accent wall in my kitchen, meant to visually divide the area for my office. Repurposing a dress my mom made in the ’70s, I cut and pasted the fabric together to form a repeating pattern.”

Raguse only had enough material to cover a small section of wall, so she added trim and beadboard to round out the wall, which created the pretty patterned panel you see above. “Fabric as wallpaper quickly became an obsession of mine and made its way through my apartment,” she adds. “After the accent wall, I added it to my hallway ceiling and bedroom (as shown below). Even my friend’s place got a fabric makeover!”

If you’re ready to try this idea out yourself, I’d recommend checking out this in-depth tutorial, but here’s the gist: You start by positioning your chosen fabric on a freshly-cleaned wall with tape, lining up any edges. Lift up the fabric and roll a nice layer of liquid starch onto the wall, then smooth the fabric out onto the wall, removing any bubbles or wrinkles as you go. Next, add another thick layer of liquid starch on top of the fabric, ensuring it’s totally saturated through to the wall. Finally, cut the excess fabric off with a utility knife. When you’re ready for a change, the fabric will come right off with a soapy sponge bath. Genius, no?

Read more.

Related Links

• Homebuilders are pushing through inventory backlog

• Why It Makes Sense To Move Before Spring

• Why You Should Never Ignore a Leaking Roof

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Why It Makes Sense To Move Before Spring

Spring is usually the busiest season in the housing market. Many buyers wait until then to make their move, believing it’s the best time to find a home.

However, that isn’t always the case when you factor in the competition you could face with other buyers at that time of year. If you’re ready to buy a home, here’s why it makes sense to move before the spring market picks up.

Spring Should Bring a Wave of Buyers to the Market

In most years, the housing market goes through predictable seasonal trends in activity. Winter is typically a quiet point in the year, while spring sees a surge of buyers begin their search. And experts project that this year will be no exception.

Right now, buyer demand is low due to a combination of normal seasonal trends and a reaction to last year’s rise in mortgage rates. But rates have started to come down since last November, which has more and more potential buyers planning to jump into the market. That means right now is a sweet spot if you’re in a good position to buy, before more buyers reappear. Affordability is beginning to improve, but demand is still low — for now. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), shares:

“. . . expect sales to pick up again soon since mortgage rates have markedly declined after peaking late last year.”

If you’re ready to buy a home, right now is the best time to do so before your competition grows and more buyers enter the market.

Today’s Sellers Are Motivated

Low demand from buyers often means sellers are more motivated to work with you, and that can set you up to buy a home on your terms. In fact, sellers have been more willing to negotiate this winter because there are fewer buyers in the market. According to a recent article from Forbes:

“. . . sellers gave concessions to buyers in 41.9% of home sales in the fourth quarter of last year.”

But keep in mind, the advantages buyers have this winter won’t last forever. The competition you face could be greater if you wait until spring to make a move, and increased buyer demand means sellers will have less motivation to negotiate with you. Be sure to work with a trusted real estate professional to learn what you can expect in your local market right now.

Bottom Line

If you’re in a position to buy a home, it may make sense to move before spring. Working with your team of expert real estate advisors is the best way to learn about the current market and what it means for you. Connect with a professional today to determine the best plan to achieve your homebuying goals.

Keep reading.

Related Links

• Homebuilders are pushing through inventory backlog

• Seniors aren’t the only homebuyers who want to downsize right now

• Why You Should Never Ignore a Leaking Roof

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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