Move On

The surprising reasons why people move in Dallas-Fort Worth

People are making moves in DFW.

Photo courtesy of Opendoor

Spring has traditionally been the best and most popular time to sell your home in Dallas, but contracts tend to keep flying through the summer. Once fall and winter hit, however, things tend to slow down and seasonality sets in. In fact, 60 percent of people who buy or sell across the country do so before August, and we see much of the same in DFW.

With the traditional homeselling season in DFW having just come to a close, Opendoor has brand-new, fresh data on why local homeowners chose to sell in the first place. During the peak spring and summer months (February-August), Opendoor helped tens of thousands of local homeowners move on to the next chapter in their lives.

The top five were fairly predictable, but it's the percentages that tell the real story. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed, or 22 percent, said they moved to upgrade (meaning they needed more space or probably didn't want to take on DIY home repairs and renovation projects). One of the benefits of selling with Opendoor is that the company will take care of those upgrade projects for you, saving untold hours related to finding workers and supervising home repairs, and saving you from having to splash out tons of cash on the home before putting it on the market.

An equal number of people (22 percent) moved because they wanted to downsize to a smaller home, while 9 percent said they were retiring.

Six percent said they were selling an investment property, and in cases like those, Opendoor is an ideal way to handle the transaction: less involvement needed on the seller's part, with Opendoor handling everything from start to finish.

Only 14 percent moved because they were relocating, and in those cases, Opendoor's quick offer is especially valuable. To sell your home through Opendoor, you need only answer a few questions about your home's condition, features, and upgrades, and then you'll get a guaranteed offer back within 24 hours.

Likewise, the 10 percent who sold because they needed the cash probably also appreciated the quick turnaround and lack of hassle when it comes to dealing with showings and repairs.

Opendoor is the largest acquirer of single-family homes in both Dallas and the U.S. Because of that status, the company is able to look at its volume of homes, ask consumers directly about their needs and wants, and track trends to keep Dallas buyers and sellers in the loop on what they need to know about the market.

Thinking about all the reasons why you personally want to move? Visit Opendoor.com to browse the huge selection of Dallas-Fort Worth homes, or learn more about selling your home through Opendoor's painless process.

home-for-sale promoted reports

hottest zips

Surprising Dallas neighbor ranks among hottest ZIP codes in U.S.

City of Lavon/Facebook

Movers are loving Lavon for its small-town feel and proximity to the big city.

A recent analysis of American relocation trends has revealed the small city of Lavon outside Dallas was one of the top five hottest ZIP code for movers nationwide in October 2025.

Lavon's 75166 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on MovingPlace's new list ranking the U.S. cities with the highest number of new movers per 1,000 current residents during the month of October.

According to the study's data, 961,650 moves took place across the nation last month. Lavon (population: 13,800) saw 10.8 moves per 1,000 residents in October, the fifth highest moving rate out of all U.S. cities.

Lavon is located 32 miles northeast of Dallas in Collin County. It was praised as a highly sought-after locale for movers who want to live somewhere affordable outside Dallas while still reaping the benefits from a community with a small-town feel.

The report also added that Lavon's 75166 ZIP was the No. 1 hottest ZIP code in September, but relocations dipped 7.7 percent from September to October.

"When looking at the top ZIP codes in each state, it’s clear that less populated ZIP codes often show dramatic month-over-month increases, sometimes exceeding 100 percent," the report said. "Larger cities, by contrast, maintain consistently high move volumes without extreme spikes, because their larger populations dampen the impact of individual moves."

These are the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on moves per capita in October:

No. 1 – 78616 in Dale, Texas
No. 2 – 34987 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida
No. 3 – 37228 in Nashville, Tennessee
No. 4 – 80019 in Aurora, Colorado
No. 5 – 75166 in Lavon, Texas
No. 6 – 32461 in Inlet Beach, Florida
No. 7 – 10004 in New York, New York
No. 8 – 43137 in Lockbourne, Ohio
No. 9 – 30346 in Atlanta, Georgia
No. 10 – 78656 in Maxwell, Texas

The hottest U.S. ZIP codes by total move volume
Five Texas ZIPs ranked among MovingPlace's separate analysis of the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on total move volume.

McKinney's ever-popular 75071 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on the list after gaining 298 new residents last month, only 72 residents shy from No. 1-ranking Washington, D.C.'s new resident count.

This North Dallas suburb also previously ranked as the No. 8 most popular ZIP for movers during the first five months of 2025.

The report said McKinney's most attractive qualities are its safety, its high-performing schools, and its proximity to outdoor recreational activities. it also helps that the suburb consistently ranks as the No. 1 hottest housing market in America, and it frequently tops lists comparing the best cities for renters or the most affordable cities in the U.S.

The top 10 hottest American ZIP codes in October based on total move volume were:

No. 1 – 20002 in Washington, D.C.
No. 2 – 78130 in New Braunfels, Texas
No. 3 – 78641 in Leander, Texas
No. 4 – 77433 in Cypress, Texas
No. 5 – 75071 in McKinney, Texas
No. 6 –32256 in Jacksonville, Florida
No. 7 –77493 in Katy, Texas
No. 8 – 85142 in Queen Creek, Arizona
No. 9 – 98052 in Redmond, Washington
No. 10 – 28269 in Charlotte, North Carolina

suburb real estate housing market moving mckinney dallas