Demand for Vacation Homes Fell for Second Consecutive Month in July

Rhea-AI Summary

Demand for second homes dropped 21% year over year in July 2021, marking a second consecutive month of declines in mortgage-purchase locks. Primary home purchases also fell by 4%.

Soaring home prices, which increased 25% as of June, are likely influencing this trend. Despite the declines, demand for second homes remains above pre-pandemic levels. Redfin's lead economist noted that builders are responding to the sustained interest by focusing on constructing homes, which may support ongoing vacation home popularity.

Positive

• Demand for second homes remains above pre-pandemic levels.
• Builders are increasing focus on home construction in response to demand.

Negative

• Demand for second homes declined by 21% year over year.
• Primary home purchases decreased by 4%.

SEATTLE, Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Demand for second homes fell 21% year over year in July, according to a new report from Redfin (www.redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. This marks the second consecutive month of annual declines in mortgage-purchase locks, following 13 months of surging activity in second-home purchases.

Demand for primary home purchases fell by 4% year over year in July. This was the first time the growth rate for second-home demand fell behind that of primary homes since April 2020. This is likely because soaring home prices caused some prospective second-home buyers to reconsider their plans. As of June, home prices were up 25% to record highs but have since begun to plateau.

"Demand for second homes remains well above pre-pandemic levels, and we can expect the high level of interest in vacation homes to persist in the new era of remote work," said Taylor Marr, lead economist at Redfin. "Builders have responded to this increased interest by putting more resources into building homes and less into hotels and lodging. If you build it—amid a historic housing shortage—they will come. I expect vacation homes to remain popular as more homes are built."

The report is based on a Redfin analysis of mortgage-rate lock data for home purchases 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 read the full report, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/second-homes-report-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. To view Redfin's press center, click here.

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SOURCE Redfin

FAQ

What was the change in second home demand in July 2021 for RDFN?

Second home demand fell by 21% year over year in July 2021.

How did primary home purchases change in July 2021 according to RDFN?

Primary home purchases declined by 4% year over year in July 2021.

What factors are impacting second home demand for RDFN?

Soaring home prices have caused prospective buyers to reconsider second-home purchases.

What is the outlook for vacation homes according to Redfin?

The high level of interest in vacation homes is expected to persist due to remote work.

What percentage increase did home prices see as of June 2021?

Home prices increased by 25% as of June 2021.