News Item
Existing-home sales exploded higher in June as home buyers took advantage of record-low mortgage rates and fled city centers beset with anti-police protests, riots, looting, crime, shootings, stay-at-home orders, shuttered businesses, closed schools, and a loss of amenities such as restaurants, theaters, and museums.
Actual documentable reason for the rise in home sales (I mean, aside from it being June...) is bolded above. I loved how the rest of the sentence turned into this sort of all-purpose RW talking points rant about urban hellscapes and, er, having to order takeout from restaurants. Oh, the humanity!
Can't speak for other cities, but COVID is leading to New Yorkers considering moves to the burbs. The perception is that its safer when the next one hits to be somewhere less densely populated and its a calculation that not only residents are making, but also companies looking for office space that have the option of setting up a campus further out.
And yes, in New York where the city vs. suburbia calculation is always cultural amenities vs. more space and a back yard, when the city can't offer those cultural amenities then the calculation changes. Being able to remote work vs. commute another factor.
What is not a factor is the BLM protests REDSTATEWARD (or the Breitbart piece he is cribbing from) want to also blame for residents "fleeing" from the city. I can say with confidence that it isn't "riots and looting" leading to people leaving because there really hasn't been any. There
have been protests which have the widespread support of the communities they are happening in.