Last week, Realtor.com announced the hottest ZIP codes in the country for homebuyers in 2024, and our own 63021 was #2!! This follows up last year's 63021 ranking of #10 in the nation, quite a back-to-back feat. You may have seen this story advertised as Ballwin, but that is wrong. Realtor.com researches this list by ZIP code, and assigned Ballwin due to the main Post Office in the ZIP. 63021 is as much Manchester as Ballwin, with some Ellisville, Winchester, Wildwood, Twin Oaks, Valley Park, Des Peres and unincorporated STL County thrown in. Thanks US Postal Service!

I sell a lot of homes in this ZIP (I am in the top 1/2 percent of Realtors in this ZIP YTD 2024 and even going back 20 years), my office is in this ZIP, and I live in this ZIP, so I know that homes sell fast and have been appreciating at a good clip for a number of years now. But hotter than virtually every other area across the country?? How so? I looked under the hood on how Realtor.com goes about this rating, and here is what I found:

Realtor.com’s Hottest Zip Code rankings take into account two aspects of the housing market: 1) market demand, as measured by unique viewers per property on Realtor.com, and 2) the pace of the market as measured by the number of days a listing remains active on Realtor.com. The hottest areas are those that have high demand from buyers, in other words, lots of unique viewers per each property listed for sale, and fast-selling homes, an indicator of limited supply.

Homes in the hottest zips saw 3.7 times the page views per property on average and homes sold more than a month faster compared to the typical U.S. home in the first half of 2024. While these six affordable locales may attract buyers looking for a deal, low-priced real estate is not their only draw. The unemployment rates in the Columbus, St. Louis, Rochester, Philadelphia, Chicago and Springfield metro areas are below the national average, offering prospective buyers a strong economy nearby. In the first four months of the year, homes sold for an average 3.3% over asking price in the country’s hottest zip codes. Nationally, homes sold for an average 2.3% under asking price in the same period. Met with fierce competition, buyers in the hottest zips offered more than asking to secure their desired home.

If you are looking for an area that offers reliable price appreciation, safety, great schools, good neighbors, and overall quality of living, you have found it!

To see the full article, click here: The Hottest Zip Codes of 2024 - Realtor.com