Five Reasons Why the Burbs are Better than Ever

Five Reasons Why the ‘Burbs are Better than Ever

Covid-19 has considerably altered daily life in the United States and around the Globe. These changes have upended the way we shop, how we educate our children, and how we work; this pandemic is also likely to affect where we live.

While migration to the suburbs has been steadily growing over the past few years, especially as the millennial cohort begins to buy their first homes, Covid-19 could mean an acceleration of this trend. Here are five reasons why the suburbs are uniquely suited to, and could benefit from, the coronavirus crisis:

1. Work from home provides more flexibility

Employees have long been requesting to work from home, and now that managers have realized that their employees are at least as productive, if not more productive at home, employers are likely to reconsider the need for everyone to be in the office all of the time. This has allowed for movement out of city centers and into the suburbs as long commute times are less of an issue.

2. Homes in the suburbs often boast private yards

One of the huge benefits of living in the ‘burbs is buying a home with a private yard. This issue has come to a head in recent months as stay-at-home orders went into effect. Being able to access outdoor space is beneficial for a healthy body and mind, and during the crisis, many city dwellers fled their cramped apartments to either rent or buy homes in the suburbs.

3. Density perceived to contribute to coronavirus outbreaks

While studies about whether or not density causes a spike in Covid-19 cases have been mixed, that doesn’t stop the perception that it does to the benefit of the ‘burbs. Many millennials who were already considering leaving the city, have accelerated their move to a community that offers more space to spread out.

4. New home construction is more attractive than ever

Searches for new home construction have surged 73 percent compared to last year, according to The Harris Poll commissioned by real estate listing company Zillow. Many of those searching for new homes indicate that private home office space is a priority, presumably to keep those pesky (and loud) toddlers from interrupting Zoom meetings. With thousands of new homes planned or underway here in the Santa Clarita Valley, we are well suited to meet that need.

While cul-de-sacs, paseos, and neighborhood schools still score big points among those who are escaping city life, most millennials don’t want to leave it all behind. The trend today is creating mini urban centers in suburbia that are walkable, provide excellent amenities (like high end shopping, arts, dining, and coffee houses), and have easy access to public transit. This reimagined suburb living provides the kind of live-work-play environment that is attractive to both potential homebuyers and businesses. Vista Canyon in SCV is a prime example of this type of development.

RELATED: Quality of Life Matters, Why Millennials are Moving to the Suburbs

The suburbs aren’t going away. In fact, they are stronger than ever. They have long offered relative affordability in both the housing and commercial markets, but as Covid-19 continues to restructure the way we work, it will be necessary for city-based companies to reconsider their location strategy. Having suburban outposts is one way to help mitigate health and safety concerns of the workforce, while allowing workers to enjoy a greater quality of life that the suburbs provide. With ample state-of-the-art commercial and residential development already underway and in the pipeline, the Santa Clarita Valley is ready to meet those demands.

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) is a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting,retaining,and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.