House hunters ready to move rank safety and climate risk fears above lower property taxes, family changes, and higher-rated schools, according to a new Redfin survey.
Nearly one in seven (13.7 percent) home hunters say natural disasters or climate risks in their area is a reason they are likely to move within the next year, according to the new report from the real estate brokerage.
Another 17.5 percent say a concern for safety/crime is prompting their goal to move.
That’s according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos in September 2024. The survey was fielded to 1,802 U.S. homeowners and renters aged 18-65. Redfin’s report focuses on 904 respondents who indicated they will move in the next year.
Fears related to crime/safety and climate risks were among the top reasons for moving, ranking ahead of lower property taxes (11 percent), family changes (10.3 percent) and higher school ratings (8.8 percent).
“People want to feel safe in their homes, so it makes sense that concerns around crime and natural disasters are significant motivations for moving,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “With climate risks, the reason people move is not necessarily solely related to physical safety, but also because of the potential financial impact of high insurance premiums and other home protection measures.”
A desire for more space (31.2 percent) topped the list of reasons people are looking to move, followed by wanting to upgrade to a better home or neighborhood (25.4 percent), and wanting to seek a lower overall cost of living (21.6 percent).
Women, homeowners and younger generations more likely to cite fears as reasons for moving, the survey found.
Women (20 percent) were more likely than men (13.8 percent) to cite a concern for safety/crime as a reason for moving in the next year.
Men (17.3 percent) were more likely than women (10.1 percent) to cite a concern for climate risks.
Concern for safety/crime |
Concern for natural disasters or climate risks |
|
Women |
20% |
10.1% |
Men |
13.8% |
17.3% |
Homeowners |
20.4% |
17.4% |
Renters |
16.3% |
10.6% |
Boomers |
16.2% |
7.4% |
Gen X |
19.2% |
12.5% |
Millennials |
17.2% |
15.2% |
Gen Z |
14.9% |
14.9% |
Homeowners were more likely to cite crime/safety or climate risks as factors to move than renters.
Millennials and Gen Zers, combined, were more than twice as likely as boomers to cite climate risks as a reason to move.