{"id":27527,"date":"2021-10-29T12:46:44","date_gmt":"2021-10-29T19:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=27527"},"modified":"2021-10-29T12:46:44","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T19:46:44","slug":"buyer-exurbs-vs-suburbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-exurbs-vs-suburbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Exurbs vs. Suburbs: Which Kind of Homebuyer Are You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sure, most people know the concept of suburbs<\/a> and have a sense of what it might mean to choose to buy and live in a suburban environment compared with a home in the city. But \u201cexurb\u201d is a less-familiar and more mysterious term that you might not yet know. At a time of significant growth into these areas, now is a good time for house hunters to get familiar with the concept of exurbs. Here, we\u2019ll lay out what you need to know about the exurbs vs suburbs in today\u2019s real estate market with expert intel from Ellen Williams<\/a>, a top-selling agent who works with 66% more single-family homes than the average agent in Chicago suburb of Joliet<\/a>, Illinois.<\/p>\n

Which one will be right for you? That\u2019s highly personal, of course. As agents, \u201cwe need to make sure we know what our clients are looking for specifically,\u201d Wiliams says.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you need trains and transportation<\/a> to a school district? Are you looking for property with acreage? Are you looking for a property with a very large home, with a pond, on a river? It\u2019s really going to depend on what people want and what they want to get for their money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on as we compare the pros and cons of exurbs versus suburbs for home buyers.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (Julian Gr\u00fcneberg \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Exurbs vs suburbs: Defining the terms<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start by clarifying the terms and how they differ.<\/p>\n

Suburbs are neighborhoods or areas outside major metropolitan areas<\/a>. They are mostly residential but do typically contain some amenities and stores. They are not as densely populated as a city center.<\/p>\n

Exurbs, on the other hand, are located even further out from the city center. They are located somewhere between the suburbs and a rural area<\/a>; think of exurbs as an additional ring outside a city center.<\/p>\n

In these areas, the lots are bigger, and the views might be better (or certainly at least less urban). The property might be closer to nature, with less access to amenities, and less population density.<\/p>\n

There are 222 exurb counties containing a total of 34 million people across the country, according to the American Communities Project<\/a>. The project notes that these communities are fairly wealthy, with a median household income of about $65,500, and a low rate of violent crime compared to the country at large. Populations in these areas tend to be less diverse overall, leaning significantly Republican politically.<\/p>\n

Over time, areas like these can gradually turn into suburbs. And they\u2019ve been increasingly popular since the pandemic as buyers seek more home for the money and more space for social distancing \u2014\u00a0and have more geographical freedom as work life is increasingly flexible and virtual.<\/p>\n

Living in the suburbs<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s break down the pros and cons of buying and living in the suburbs.<\/p>\n

Pros<\/h3>\n