Main menu

Pages

These six sunny cities are among the most popular for homebuyers in Zillow




 



Resort and beach cities top the list of the most searched sites, based on site traffic and consumer demand indicators.



It may come as no surprise that cities traditionally known as tourist destinations were among the most sought-after mover real estate markets last year, according to Zillow research.  Topping the list of Zillow's most popular places is South Lake Tahoe, which saw nearly 5,500 home views per Zillow from January 2021 to November 2021. Areas like this mountainous city with a large number of vacation homes are seeing more interest in Zillow and have garnered more interest in Zillow. With greater interest more prominent sales growth than the nation as a whole.

In addition to listing pageview visits, Zillow's most popular places have been determined based on available home inventory, price estimates, and other housing metrics that indicate consumer demand.  The study analyzed thousands of ZIP codes in the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas to create a ranking of the site's most popular US cities.

So whether you're one of the growing numbers of remote workers looking to relocate, buy investment properties, or just want to change the landscape, you're not alone. Learn about the highest level of demand and prepare for a competitive market.

Read on to find out the top ratings.


Zillow's most popular in general: South Lake Tahoe, California


Lists: South Lake Tahoe
Typical home value: just under $700,000
Population: 21,330 people
Closest major city: Reno, Nevada (58 miles)


South Lake Tahoe, a leisure and entertainment center located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, became the most popular place in the United States in 2021.

The mountain resort town lies on the California-Nevada border and features an extensive ski area and beachfront access to Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America.  It offers homebuyers and renters a small-town vibe, with easy commutes to the Bay Area and Sacramento to the west, and Carson City and Reno to the east.

Its high view count on Zillow (5,469 page views per listing) helped propel it to #1. South Lake Tahoe also took first place in the rankings for Most Popular Small Towns and Most Popular Vacation Cities.

Among the most interesting is Calabasas, California, a Los Angeles suburb filled with celebrities. and Malibu, a city in Southern California known for its stunning waterfront homes.


Most famous beach city: Newport, Oregon

Lists: Newport
Typical home value: $428,534
Population: 10,256 people
Closest major city: Portland, Oregon (132 miles)


Newport rested at the mouth of Yaquina Bay on the central Oregon coast, returning one of the largest numbers of lists to mention the word "beach" in its description. Newport offers plenty for seafood lovers, and is known in some circles as the "Dungeness Crab Capital of the World". Hikers can explore nearby trails, beaches, and sand dunes. Families can take boat and kayak tours, visit area attractions, or explore downtown on an electric bike.

Newport has surpassed coastal cities such as Naples, Florida, and neighboring Lincoln City, Oregon, with the most page views per listing.


Most popular meeting place: Lavallette, NJ

Lists: Lavalette
Typical home value: $874,325
Population: 1,787
Nearest major city: New York (73 miles)

Efficiently packed into the entire 0.8 square miles of the northern part of the Barnegat Peninsula, Lavalette is roughly equal distances from New York City and Philadelphia (the last 10 miles). Lavallette has one of the highest numbers of retirees in its population and the most page views per listing of all the regions Zillow analyzed for this category.


Most famous small town: Calabasas, California

Menus: Calabasas
Typical home value: over $1.5 million
Population: 23241 people
Closest major city: Los Angeles, California (30 miles)

Small towns, defined here as cities with a population of 15,000-25,000, present a slower pace than larger metropolitan areas. In this list, Calabasas is ranked after South Lake Tahoe and before Evergreen, Colorado. Calabasas is also ranked second in popularity overall. Primarily a suburb of Los Angeles, it's known as a hotspot for celebrities fleeing the big city.


Most Popular Vacation City: Big Bear Lake, California

Lists: Big Bear Lake
Typical home value: $578,963
Population: 5,046 people
Closest major city: Los Angeles, California (97 miles)

Big Bear Lake is just over a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. A shorter stroll from South Lake Tahoe, Big Bear offers many of the same attractions. The artificial lake's shoreline stretches for more than 22 miles, and opportunities abound for skiing, cycling, and hiking in the surrounding San Bernardino Mountains. The city has the highest stock of housing units for secondary, vacation, or recreational use.


Most famous university city: Tempe, Arizona

Lists: Tempe
Typical home value: $436,942
Population: 180,587 people
Closest major city: Phoenix, Arizona (11 miles)
A stone's throw from Phoenix, Arizona, Tempe is home to Arizona State University, one of the largest number of undergraduate and graduate students of all cities surveyed, and one of the highest number of page views per rental listing in Zillow. 

Zillow's second most popular college town is Claremont, California, home to Claremont Colleges, a consortium of seven colleges including Pomona College and Scripps College. 
Narragansett, Rhode Island, home of the University of Rhode Island, ranks third in this category.

So if you're considering moving to one of these hotspots, or anywhere else, start the process by learning how to get the most out of Zillow's search and finding a real estate agent in your chosen area.








Comments