Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

As More Bay Area Residents Work From Home, Many Are Moving That Home To Sacramento

  •  Ed Fletcher 
Friday, November 27, 2020 | Sacramento, CA
Ed Fletcher / CapRadio

Moving companies discounts rental to help move vehicles in areas they’re depleted.

Ed Fletcher / CapRadio

When the pandemic hit, Ebony Lewis decided to reassess her living situation.

“When I was living in Oakland Hills I had a roommate. It was close quarters. I needed my own space,” said Lewis, a Los Angeles-area native who recently bought a home in Sacramento’s Land Park neighborhood.

Lewis is one of thousands of Bay Area residents relocating to the valley during the pandemic because of space and affordability, real estate experts say. The Sacramento housing market was tight before COVID-19, but now ...

“The Sacramento housing market is incredibly hot,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist with the housing sales site Redfin. “A lot of it is driven by migration out of the Bay Area into more inland areas in the Sacramento area.”

Sacramento home prices are up 14%, houses are selling 14 days faster compared to last year, and they’re going for more than seller’s list prices, according to data analyzed by Redfin.

The impact of Bay Area migration is most pronounced among more expensive homes in the region, said Fairweather. Sales in that segment is up 86%, she said.

“People are moving in from the Bay Area and they're looking for bigger homes, bigger backyards, more space and extra room to work from home, and all of those homes tend to be at the higher end (of the market)", Fairweather said. “And a lot of the times are also moving to some of the more expensive parts of Sacramento.”

Placer and El Dorado counties are also popular landing spots for those moving out the Bay Area, Fairweather said.

There is some risk pandemic movers will have buyers’ remorse when life returns to normal, Fairweather said, but given the overall housing picture, it’s unlikely to cause a price bubble.

In response to a continued tight housing market, housing starts are up 18% in the third quarter. Demand still exceeds supply, Fairweather said.

“It's great that construction is coming on the market, but I think that we're still playing catch up,” she said.

The average value of those new homes being built is $288,000, a 12%  increase over last year, the Redfin data indicates.

Before the pandemic, buyers like Lewis — a young professional working for the Kaiser Permanente group — would have faced a long commute to the Bay area.

But now, there’s no commute.

“All of us are working remotely. We don’t know if we’ll go back into the office,” said Lewis. “If and when we do go back into the office, it will not be as often as it used to be.” 


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Coronavirus

  • NIAID-RML via AP

    Coronavirus In California: Latest Updates And Resources

    The coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of life in California and around the world. Here are resources and all our coverage at CapRadio and NPR.

 Coronavirus

Ed Fletcher

Interim News Anchor

Ed Fletcher is a multimedia journalist, filmmaker and community leader who was born and raised in the Sacramento region.  Read Full Bio 

Coronavirus Newsletter

Get answers to your questions, the latest updates and easy access to the resources you need, delivered to your inbox.

 

Want to know what to expect? Here's a recent newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

We'll send you weekly emails so you can stay informed about the coronavirus in California.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Michael A. Mariant / AP Photo

Five things to know about nuclear power in California

May 14, 2022

Scott Olson/Getty Images

FDA authorizes first COVID booster for children ages 5 to 11

May 17, 2022

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Sacramento City Unified will end current school year on time after extension talks stall

May 19, 2022

Most Viewed

Top California Democrats in a stalemate over gas rebates

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla will appear on California’s June primary ballot twice. Here’s why.

With California budget surplus projected at $97 billion, Newsom proposes driver rebates, more reproductive health funding

California coronavirus updates: Biden announces a third round of free at-home COVID-19 testing kits

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

Top California Democrats in a stalemate over gas rebates

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla will appear on California’s June primary ballot twice. Here’s why.

With California budget surplus projected at $97 billion, Newsom proposes driver rebates, more reproductive health funding

California coronavirus updates: Biden announces a third round of free at-home COVID-19 testing kits

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.