10 Best Places to Live in the South, According to Local Real Estate Experts
September 3, 2024
“Recently, we’ve been seeing a significant increase in homebuyers moving to the more rural parts of the state, such as the Shenandoah Valley in Western Virginia,” says Ryan Price, chief economist of the Virginia Realtors Association. “These rural areas offer natural beauty and a slower pace than many suburban and urban areas.” Price also shares that with remote and hybrid work opportunities, as well as expanding broadband internet availability, there’s been more demand for smaller cities like Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, Lexington, and Staunton.
“People are finding more value in terms of the home sizes, land, and lifestyle, while still being close enough to drive to the job centers a couple days per week,” he adds. For example, Zillow estimates that in Staunton, the average home value is around $289,000, more than $70,000 less than the national average.