More people are expanding their home search away from urban centers and toward smaller towns and rural areas, NAR data shows

House hunters have been expanding the scope of their home search over the past year, moving a median of 50 miles away from their previous property—a record distance, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. The historical average is about 15 miles.

In the third quarter of this year, nearly 61% of views on realtor.com® listings came from users located outside of the listing’s metro, a higher number than previous quarters. Faced with high home prices and rising mortgage rates, home buyers are revisiting what they can afford and where.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®