Thinking of moving to San Diego, Miami, Phoenix, or Seattle? These are four fairly popular cities that many LGBT people move to. While they’re not San Francisco or New York City in terms of the LGBT lifestyle, they also aren’t as expensive or as crowded. But not all four of these cities have the same housing availability. In fact, moving to a couple of them can be difficult if you’re looking to purchase a home, but have a fairly strict budget and needs.
San Diego
San Diego is a popular destination in California. It’s close to LA and San Francisco, but it’s nowhere near as crowded, plus it’s more affordable. But it’s not easy to find single-family homes or condos in the city. In fact, according to Zillow, the available housing in San Diego dropped more than 30 percent in 2015. More people are moving than are leaving, which makes it difficult to find a home that fits your needs and budget. At the end of 2015, there were less than 6,000 properties for sale. That sounds like a lot, but when you factor in needs, price, and location, the number that fit your idea of a dream home is fairly small.
Seattle, Phoenix, and Miami
Seattle, likewise, is down to less than 7,500 properties for sale. The city has become very popular with younger generations, while the older generations who already own homes in the city don’t want to sell.
But then there’s the other end of the spectrum. Both Phoenix and Miami are definitely in a buyer’s market phase at the moment. Miami has more than 37,000 properties available, while Phoenix has more than 19,000. Have people been leaving these two cities in droves? Not quite—instead, developers have been building many more units than were needed, leaving the housing market with too many properties and not enough buyers.
What Does it Mean?
If you’re a seller with property in Seattle or San Diego, you’re in a very good position. With fewer competing properties, you shouldn’t have much trouble selling your property. If you’re looking to buy, though, be aware that you’re going to have to pay the asking price or even a little over. If you hesitate, you’ll lose the property to someone else.
The opposite is true in Miami and Phoenix. Buyers control the market here, picking and choosing the properties they want and often getting away with lowball offers. Sellers who want to offload their properties quickly will have to accept these offers.