President Bush declared owning a home lies at the heart of the American dream, and wanted, "everybody in America to own their own home. Twelve years and a housing crisis later, it seems as though thats no longer the case: Americans are packing up and booking it to the city.
Related: Is it time to stop subsidizing the suburbs?
The American dream is fundamentally about opportunity, says Vishaan Chakrabarti, director of the Center for Urban Real Estate at Columbia University. Its not so much where you live but whether you can do better than your parents and grandparents and a lot of young people today are finding those opportunities in cities. The data are very clear, weve seen an enormous migration to every urban area in the country.
The nation's urban population increased by 12.1% between 2000 and 2010. According to the Census , urban areas accounted for 83% of the U.S. population in 2012. And The Brookings Institute notes that "among the 51 metropolitan areas with more than one million residents, 24 saw their cities grow faster than their suburbs from 2011 to 2012-- that was true of just 8 metro areas from 2000 to 2010."
Single-family homebuilding is at its lowest rate in decades, as only 600,000 single-family homes were built in 2013, down from 1.7 million in 2005. The purchasing of single-family homes is also down 13.3% year-over-year. High-rise apartment buildings now make up 40% of all new construction and metro areas are growing more quickly than the U.S. as a whole. According to The Nielsen Group 62% of millennials would prefer to live in urban centers.
And its not just millennials; baby boomers are also leaving their suburban homes for apartments with much less square footage. So why this exodus from the suburbs?
People want to closer access to health care facilities and culture, says Chakrabarti. Gas prices are a factor too.
Related: More Poor People Are Now Living in Suburbs Than Cities: Brookings Institution
Most people have been hit really hard by this last recession and are worried about mortgage debt and auto debt, so this is a pocketbook issue at a significant level, says Chakrabarti.
The tightening of purse strings is a prevailing issue but theres more to reurbanization.
If you look at the millennials they grew up with Hurricane Katrina, Deep-water Horizon, a lot of things that were around the environmentits a socially conscientious generation and they are interested in driving less and walking more, Chakrabarti explains.
Theres also a social aspect to living in a city that people in the suburbs tend to lack. People like the amount of diversity they find in cities," Chakrabarti notes.
According to Chakrabarti, its the perfect storm of economic, social and environmental issues that are driving the suburbs into extinction.
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You have to go where the jobs are... if you want all of what modern living promises. Or you can give it all up and live on the cheap in the middle of nowhere.
My coworker and I have been discussing buying a block in Detroit... you can get a nice house for 20K there... it would be nice to be mortgage free.
Of all the cities that is the one where land & housing prices are not a problem . BUT there are other problems with living there . Are you an expert at using firearms ?
Enter At Your Own Risk: Police Union Says War-Like Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors
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Detroit Citizens Protect Themselves After Police Force Decimated
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Another thing to consider is that the city of Detroit has declared bankruptcy . Will you be guaranteed needed services : water , sewer & garbage disposal ? I'm guessing electric might be a problem too if your area has been severely depopulated .
My coworker is a native Detroit-ian(?)... her parents still live there. She says that it's amazing how many companies are coming out of the woodwork to buy property in downtown Detroit by the boatload. It's hearsay... but she is of the opinion that in 10 years Detroit will be back up and moving again.
Personally, I don't have any issues using firearms and we have a good stock on hand. As for social services, there are still a lot of rich pockets in Detroit that keep that infrastructure a minimal requirement.
She is more serious about it being as she is from there... I don't know anyone from Adam, so I just like to discuss it with her and look at all the very nice 1920s craftman's up for sale for prices muchless than my car.
I wouldn't be surprised if she is right about that . For one thing Chinese companies are buying up large chunks of land there at fire sale prices . Perhaps the best strategy would be to commit the expense as a long term investment that you can benefit from in the future .
The ideal situation would be to have a nice apartment in the city close to many conveniences to which one could walk or cycle rather than drive, and if one could afford it, a second home in the country - a cottage on a lake, or a small farm. I don't think you have to be in the 1% to enjoy both.
Agenda 21 is a non-binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development . [1] It is a product of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , in 1992. It is an action agenda for the UN, other multilateral organizations, and individual governments around the world that can be executed at local, national, and global levels. The "21" in Agenda21 refers to the 21stCentury. It has been affirmed and modified at subsequent UNconferences.
Structure and contents [ edit ]
Agenda21 is a 300-page document divided into 40chapters that have been grouped into 4sections:
The issue we are discussing here is due to the inevitability caused by demographic changes . Empty nesters are down sizing . Millennials are adapting to the realities of the economy under Obama and automation .
Are the suburbs really doomed ? Maybe not but they don't seem to be growing or even sustaining their size . What do you think ?
That's where it starts but in order to accomplish a lot of these ideals a lot of people's rights, civil and property, will be trampled. Are we ready for that ?
I'm actually on your side with this. Maybe you didn't understand my comment.
Bruce ,
Unless I'm missing a point Agenda 21 has nothing to do with the topic at hand . Americans are fleeing the suburbs for a variety of reason which are all related to their finances . So unless you can explain how this UN agenda is influencing US home buyers then get on topic .
I'm in agreement with you two. Several of us went over this in the past. It's implementing so much control at foreign levels, even though they don't make it obvious. Our nation will have some hand in the regulating, but International Law will supersede. Foreign investors will seem to have access to a very large piece of the pie.
Bruce ,
I can accept what you said about rural areas . But the suburbs are an entirely different region . The EPA has little or no effect on the suburbs . This article is not about rural areas ... just the suburbs .
When the others started discussing Agenda 21, I thought the same thing. It's not the subject, though it is related. You are right. There are reasons, it appears, that the affordability of being a half an hour to an hour out just doesn't work anymore. As you pointed out, gas and travel expenses are one.
Petey
We loved in the urban and suburban environment throughout myworking and adult life, but "fled" the suburbs for the country life when we retired and had the ability to buy a home closer to nature and farther from the hustle and bustleof the city.
Lots of folks are doing it too I guess
Good article
Bruce
A lot of people are buying rural land and moving tot he country with no intention to "farm", but simply to escape the urban and suburban sprawl, crime and costs, poor school systems, etc etc
Very witty , very terse , very wrong . Please reread my comment . You seem to be ignoring what I said .
RiO ,
This article does not go into that level of detail . It only mentioned the millenials and the empty nesters [like yourself ?] both moving into urban environments .
The issue of downsizing affecting the home buying preferences of these 2 groups is what is slowing the housing market and sales of existing homes .
Here is one attempt to appeal to the millenials by offering them a different choice in home buying :
Is this flexible-space home what 92 million Millennials want?
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Its an open floor plan small house :
Sure govt EPA regulation is a factor . But the main factor is that Obama has little interest in promoting jobs growth . The economy needs reshoring of jobs to the US . The only way that has a chance of happening is if the tax code is given a major makeover to encourage reshoring . But Obama has NO interest in pursuing that goal and no chance at succeeding at if he did .
In any case this article is about something you have little knowledge about , the suburbs . Those are NOT the same as rural areas . PERIOD .
Almost none . If I'm wrong post some specifics instead of a manifesto .
I don't know who you are addressing, Petey, but I have'always been'a nice and good person - at least, I was when I checked! ..So, I will assume I'm included in your audience.
Here, they are growing. It is dependent on how far out is 'far' to you. The building industry slowed some, but not drastically. I think where people live is dependent on a combination of things.
According to the video there has been "an enormous migration to every major metropolitan area in the country " . If there are some locations with growing suburbs there are not many . I'm getting the impression that there are 3 metros which are still doing well with real estate : DC , San Francisco & NYC . If you have other info please supply it . Also according to the video there was a 2 year dropoff in new home construction. That was the basis for what he said about a lack of expansion in suburbs .
Are they building new homes ?
Here, too, Chloe. In fact, they just demolished a forest, to put up yet another shopping center, and I was upset for all the animals who were displaced, besides, it gave the area such a nice, quiet area. I've noticed so much more background noise at our house, of late.
Yes, Petey, they are building a LOT of new homes.
The last place I want to go to is in the middle of the city. In fact, I'm thinking of a cave, with no neighbors, etc., as being a pretty good place. Cheap, climate controlled, if a little dark...
I think our city, Louisville, is trying to promote growth into the city, but I don't really notice it working, as a whole. With all the road construction and traffic, not to mention crime, gangs, etc., no one could pay me to move downtown. Closer medical treatment? Who wants to go to University hospital? Not I, for sure! It's a great hospital for scooping you up off the pavement after an accident, but other than that, NOPE. All the doctor's offices are primarily in the suburbs, etc. Not much shopping downtown, and try to find 1) a grocery store, or 2) a gas station.
We have been talking about moving to a smaller city area for retirement, and that certainly would be great, in a lot of ways. I don't know if I can be too far from Louisville's medical system, which is 10X better than any other out and about in the state. But, I'm ready to lose the traffic, and the prices, and the high cost of living. I miss being able to go out into the country in 5 minutes. I miss the fresher air, the lack of dust, noise, and sheer irkiness of living cheek by jowl, so to speak. I also would like to be able to go out in my backyard and see stars, for a change.
Dowser ,
Thanks for supplying some counter data on this issue . Is that a Kentucky suburbs ? Is that just in one city or all over the state ? I don't suppose you have numbers you can provide . It would be interesting to find out the demographics of those buying these new homes ...
Petey, The only reason I've paid attention to this topic is because I've wanted to move outside of the area, but I still pay attention to what is happening here. Seattle, as most major cities, has 'areas.' If we divide it up by direction (N, S, E, W), not every direction appears to be building profusely in the suburbs, especially the east - which might have to do with demographics as you suggested, particularly Asian and Latino here, but the north and south burbs have sales of new construction.
Thanks for the details Chloe . That seems to run counter to the article and the video from Dr. Chakrabarti . Perhaps this is a new trend ... newer than his data .
Dowser, Oh, I hate to see that happen, too. Here, if the Developers get a large section of homes purchased, then in go the strip malls. Actual new Malls aren't being built so much, just the specialty outlet strip Malls. Yes, noisier for sure.
Dowser ,
It sounds like you want to skip the burbs and go up country :
You've got that right! At this present moment, Louisville is a mess of construction. I have to drive through at least 2 big batches of it to get to work, which has taken my usual 20 minute commute to anywhere from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. I'm tired of dust, grit, and constant traffic noise. And I want to get out my telescope and look at some stars!!!
I love that song!!! Always have!
To be perfectly honest, I'm thinking about this, as being a nice place to live:
Quaint to say the least ... and you can grind your own grains .
That little Dutch house is so cute and - perfect! I even know of areas here in this state that look exactly like that picture, but there are 4 distinct seasons - not really what I want, but I might have to do it. I understand exactly what you're saying about the city, the noise, dust and all.
I love all of the wildlife and those perfect summer nights with the clear skies and the frogs so loud that they overpower everything in the country. I like that song, too.
When I think of living deep in the country (something like Arkansas Hermit) in a mill, I think of something like this. I would fix it up to be winterized and attach a generator to the wheel to produce enough electricity for a refrigerator-freezer and a few lights. I have in the past cooked and kept warm in winter with a wood stove.
That's such a beautiful fall scene Buzz . Do you think the creek would freeze over during the winter ?
That did concern me.
That's why wind power is probably a better option ... in some locations at least .
How about an exercise cycle connected to a generator to charge batteries. In the winter some exercise would be a good thing. Or solar panels?
Then again, when the Japanese economy was booming, they ended up buying lots of real estate in the U.S., then the bottom dropped out of that market and they ended up selling for pennies on the dollar.
Addiitonally, as it becomes far more affordable to live in cities, people with high debt levels (like post college grads) find it easier to live in cities close to work. Living out in the 'country' costs more in real estate costs and transportation costs.
This is my dream home. Includes it's own runway and an underground complex, in case of Zombie Apocolypse. And it is available now.
Oh yeah-I can go snowmobiling from there also......
Thanks, Chloe!
If we put solar panels on the roof, and used the windmill to help generate electricity, maybe it would be a bit more energy efficient, as well.
Hi Spike, Good point on the Japanese. I know a little about the Japanese in that regard, in that they (and Hawaii) 'still' own too many, imo, of our forest lands. Wa. St. needs its own forest lands protected...but I don't want to upset Petey, so won't tangent in that direction.
I agree. They don't 'need' beyond the city, so they wouldn't seem to seek other means. Plus, 'most' can't afford the 'whole' thing, as you say. Imo, choosing where we live is based on a lot of things...and that criteria can be different for everyone.
I think that's an absolutely great idea, and the efficiency is appealing. Also, from a structural pov, I love the homes that have attached towers.
Try and catch the wind :
A battery bank is essential for renewable energy sources . They are getting better every year ...
Made from abandoned missile silos I assume ?