Which Markets Are Drawing Out-of-Town Buyers?

New construction is increasingly drawing buyers from outside the metro area entirely, according to a recent New-Construction Insights report from Realtor.com, cited by the National Association of Home Builders. Out-of-metro buyers accounted for more than 67% of page views on newly built home listings this spring — outpacing interest in existing homes from the same buyer group.

The markets seeing the biggest draw are concentrated in the South, led by Lakeland, FL and Cape Coral, FL, where over 80% of new-construction interest came from out-of-town buyers exiting more expensive metros like Miami, New York City, and Chicago. The common thread across these markets: competitive pricing and builder incentives. Nationally, 35% of builders cut prices in August, with an average reduction of 6%, and roughly two-thirds offered some form of sales incentive.

The takeaway for buyers and builders alike is one we've seen playing out locally too: pricing and incentives are doing real work to move new construction right now, and buyers are increasingly willing to look beyond their home metro to find it.