Homeowners May Be Willing to Relocate After SCOTUS Overturns Roe v. Wade

Rhea-AI Summary

Redfin's survey reveals significant influences on homebuyers due to changing state abortion laws after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 15% of recent movers refuse to live where abortion is fully legal, while 12% prefer exclusively such areas. 40% hold a favorable view of residing in states with legal abortion, contrasting with 32% against it. The survey, conducted in August 2021 with 1,023 participants, suggests that legality may increasingly impact housing choices, especially in regions like Texas, currently attracting many from California.

Positive

• 40% of respondents view living in states with legal abortion positively, indicating potential demand for housing in those areas.
• Texas has seen increasing migration, particularly from California, highlighting its attractiveness despite restrictive abortion laws.

Negative

• 15% of movers will not consider living in places where abortion is fully legal, potentially limiting the market in those regions.
• The divisive issue of abortion legality could complicate homebuyer decisions, particularly for women in restrictive states.

Redfin survey finds 1 in 7 movers refuse to live in a place where abortion is fully legal, while about 1 in 8 would only live somewhere abortion is fully legal

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Last week, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, which could potentially change where people want to live. A previous report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage, states about 1 in 7 people (15%) who recently moved at the time say they would not live in a place where abortion is fully legal.

That’s slightly higher than the share of respondents (12%) who said they would only live in a place where abortion is fully legal. Other respondents felt less strongly: 17% said they “prefer not to” live somewhere abortion is fully legal and 28% said they “prefer to” live in such a place.

Combined, 40% of respondents had a positive view on living in a place where abortion is fully legal, while 32% had a negative view. The data in the report is based on an August 2021 Redfin survey of 1,023 U.S. residents who moved to a new home during the 18 months prior to the survey.

“Before the pandemic, abortion was legal in every state—although, not necessarily accessible,” said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. “Homebuyers were migrating across state lines before those state lines had such drastic repercussions. I believe that now movers are going to take the state laws in place more seriously. Affordability is always going to be the top concern for homebuyers, but I think moving from a place like Los Angeles to Austin will be a more difficult decision for some women.”

Texas, where most abortions were banned in 2021, has been a popular landing spot—especially for people coming from California. San Antonio and Dallas have all ranked among the top 10 migration destinations in recent months.

To read the full report, including additional data and a chart, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-willingness-to-relocate-survey-politics/

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220629005817/en/

Redfin Journalist Services:

Ally Braun, 206-588-6863

press@redfin.com

Source: Redfin

FAQ

What does Redfin's recent survey reveal about homebuyer preferences regarding abortion laws?

The survey found that 15% of movers refuse to live in places where abortion is fully legal, while 12% only want to live in such areas.

How does the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade affect housing market trends according to Redfin?

The ruling may impact homebuyer decisions significantly, with many considering state abortion laws as a key factor in their relocation choices.

What percentage of respondents in Redfin's survey prefer living in states where abortion is fully legal?

40% of respondents expressed a preference for living in places where abortion is fully legal.

When was the Redfin survey conducted that analyzes homebuyer attitudes towards abortion laws?

The survey was conducted in August 2021, involving 1,023 U.S. residents who moved in the 18 months prior.

How has migration been affected in Texas concerning abortion laws according to the survey?

Despite restrictive abortion laws, Texas has become a popular destination for movers, particularly from California.