Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, many city dwellers are reconsidering where to live. More people are moving out of Puget Sound's downtown core and into surrounding suburbs.
The COVID-19 era has erased commutes for many and made the home office a new selling feature. The natural next step may be upping that square footage.
“Ultimately, why you’re seeing it in these other areas, is because the demand is here," said Jon Bye, a Seattle realtor with John L. Scott. "That’s really what it boils down to: supply and demand. I think you’re going to get a better value, a little more square footage, a couple more parking spots."
Bye is watching a boom in Lynnwood's appeal -- not just with home buyers, but renters and developers, as well.
“Developers are looking for more opportunities in different locations. I think why you’re seeing so much development in Lynnwood is because of the land availability and the high demand in really some of these smaller suburban neighborhoods,” Bye continued.
Numbers compiled by apartment locater Rent Café show Lynnwood as the suburb with the most new apartments in Washington state with 1,000 new units listed since 2016 and more under construction.
Kirkland, east of Seattle across Lake Washington, comes in at number two with nearly 970 new units.
Bye said affordability and even parking can sway renters and buyers, "The small things that go a long way for people."
Randy McGraw posted on the KING 5 Facebook page that his family left the city for the suburbs.
“Yes and very glad we did," McGraw wrote, adding they "bought a nice home for almost half of what our home in the city was."
