12 Cities Where Home Values Have Jumped Over 40% Since the Pandemic Started

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Happy homeowners giving each other a high five
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Housing values have jumped in recent years. Since the pandemic began, the median home price in the U.S. is up 32.4%, to $331,533.

But in 12 cities, the rise has been stratospheric. These dozen metros have recorded at least a 40% increase in home price appreciation, according to recent figures from real estate website Zillow.

If you own a home in one of the following cities, you are likely smiling all the way to the bank. But if you hope to buy a home in one of these metros, you might be out of luck.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas homes
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Typical home value in this metro: $416,647

Increase in home value since February 2020: 41.9%

Anyone who bought a home in Las Vegas two years ago and bet on rising prices drew a winning hand.

The surge in values is a big turnaround from the housing bust of the mid-2000s, when Nevada was among the hardest-hit states.

Newly arrived Californians fleeing high prices in that state are a factor in pushing Vegas prices north, reports say.

Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia
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Typical home value in this metro: $353,691

Increase in home value since February 2020: 43.1%

Is Georgia on your mind? Prepare to dig deep into your wallet if you settle in Atlanta.

In fact, homebuyers in the metro currently are paying about 10% above the listing price for homes.

Nashville

House in Nashville, Tennessee
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Typical home value in this metro: $416,472

Increase in home value since February 2020: 43.1%

Somewhere, a country singer in a Nashville dive bar is crooning that his wife left, his dog ran away and he can’t even afford a humble home.

Soaring home prices in the metro have some people whispering the “b” word — as in “bubble.”

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida
ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

Typical home value in this metro: $334,960

Increase in home value since February 2020: 43.1%

Like Nevada, Florida took it on the chin in the last housing bust. But values have finally recovered and are soaring to new heights in places like Jacksonville.

In a hopeful sign for homebuyers, it appears prices in Jacksonville may be stabilizing a bit.

Riverside, California

Riverside California neighborhood
Matt Gush / Shutterstock.com

Typical home value in this metro: $555,853

Increase in home value since February 2020: 43.6%

Despite the surge in real estate values in Riverside during the pandemic, the typical home value remains significantly below the statewide median home value of $817,000, according to Zillow.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina
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Typical home value in this metro: $353,106

Increase in home value since February 2020: 43.7%

How tough is it to find a reasonably priced home in Charlotte? Two North Carolina members of Congress have introduced a bill that would change federal rules to make it easier to use relief funds associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for affordable housing projects.

San Diego

San Diego
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Typical home value in this metro: $880,414

Increase in home value since February 2020: 44%

Pity the poor homeowners of San Diego, who are seeing hot housing prices start to cool a bit.

Yes, folks, in February 2022, home values in this metro climbed a mere $13,000. The previous month, prices had jumped $38,300.

Raleigh, North Carolina

Homes in Raleigh, North Carolina
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Typical home value in this metro: $420,228

Increase in home value since February 2020: 46.3%

North Carolina’s other large city — Raleigh — also has seen values skyrocket during the pandemic.

Raleigh-area real estate agent Monique Edwards captured video of a long line of hopeful home shoppers snaking around one house that was being shown.

Edwards’ reaction to the spectacle acts as a summary of the housing market nationwide: “It’s absolutely insane.”

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah
Rigucci / Shutterstock.com

Typical home value in this metro: $575,579

Increase in home value since February 2020: 47.9%

We’ve come to expect housing prices in the neighborhood of $600,000 in California. But Salt Lake City?

Median home prices in Salt Lake County and Utah County now are approaching those lofty heights.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida
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Typical home value in this metro: $341,997

Increase in home value since February 2020: 49.7%

With housing values exploding in Tampa, many people have no choice but to rent — if they can afford to even do that.

Soaring rents pushed the City of Tampa to create a rental assistance program. In just days, the $1 million earmarked for the fund was gone. Now, folks are joining a waiting list in hopes of getting aid soon.

Phoenix

Homes in Phoenix, Arizona
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Typical home value in this metro: $442,976

Increase in home value since February 2020: 55.3%

The supply of affordable homes is drying up in the desert. A recent forecast calls for record-breaking prices to climb even higher in Phoenix into 2023. And that is on top of sharp gains in 2020 and 2021.

Austin, Texas

Row houses in Austin, Texas
Tricia Daniel / Shutterstock.com

Typical home value in this metro: $573,123

Increase in home value since February 2020: 68.6%

Austin famously celebrates its weirdness. So, perhaps it’s no surprise that home price gains in the capital of Texas are, well, downright bizarre.

Since the pandemic began, home values are up a hard-to-fathom 68.6%.

The good news? If the city wants to start an aid program for those struggling to afford new digs, a recent transplant to Austin — Elon Musk, the world’s richest man — probably could fund the project all on his own.

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