You're not imagining it: More people are moving to Texas, and especially the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A recent report from Texas Realtors revealed that the Lone Star State gained more than half a million new residents in 2019 — the second-most of any state.
And according to Chris Westrom, Opendoor's senior general manager in Texas, the market doesn't show signs of cooling off anytime soon.
"Competition is increasing for buyers, with low inventory and high demand, and many homes in the area are seeing multiple offers," he says. "And even now, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting how people are choosing to move.
"Some sellers may be hesitant to list their homes, with the risk of having strangers come through for showings, and buyers might be more comfortable using virtual tools to view homes. In 2021, I predict that we'll see even more people adopt modern real estate experiences."
The real estate industry is truly moving into modernity. Opendoor recently released an in-depth look at today's modern consumer and the behaviors of home buyers and sellers across generations in 2021. It's no surprise that since the coronavirus pandemic began, people across the country have increasingly turned to digital solutions to help them buy or sell a home.
During the pandemic, Chase Poorman turned to Opendoor to find a home closer to his kids. Having bought a home with Opendoor once before, Poorman loved how seamless the buying and moving process was.
"I was impressed by how easy the Opendoor app was to use, the transparency I encountered during the homebuying process, and my overall experience with Opendoor," he says. "Opendoor not only offers excellent service, but the team really cares."
Working with a tour assistant through Opendoor, Poorman was able to safely tour homes on his own schedule.
"Despite COVID-19, Opendoor made buying a home in Dallas-Fort Worth extremely easy," he says. "I'm happy I was able to quickly relocate to live closer to my kids."
Opendoor found that 75 percent of homebuyers report that they would consider buying a home through a company that empowers them to control more of the process with digital tools. Virtual touring options are here to stay, too, with 89 percent of people saying they will still want the option to tour a home virtually or remotely even after there's no longer a risk of contracting COVID-19.
Interestingly, when it comes to touring homes, Opendoor also found that baby boomers are turning to tech even more than millennials are. A whopping 92 percent of baby boomers said they want virtual touring options even post-pandemic, compared to 85 percent of millennials.
For now though, home shoppers have the ability to tour DFW homes virtually or in-person at their convenience through Opendoor. Just download the app or use the site to find your next home sweet home.
Get a good look without having to tour in-person.
Facebook/Sherley Farms