Local realtors say they’ve seen an increase in people moving from urban areas in other states to Murray over the last year.
Gale Sharp, president of the Murray Calloway County Board of Realtors and an independent realtor for Kopperud Realty, said the region has long attracted out-of-towners, and is seeing a resurgence.
“We’ve always had some interest from folks away from here,” Sharp said. “Of course, this was years and years ago when the Rand McNally study came out with Murray being the best place to retire.”
In 1987, technology and publishing company Rand McNally ranked the Murray and Kentucky Lake area the best place to retire in the nation, based on money, climate, personal safety, services, housing and leisure living.
Sharp said she believes out-of-state buyers are seeking a quieter atmosphere in small towns like Murray to escape a “sense of claustrophobia” induced by large cities now that working from home is more feasible in a pandemic-adjusted world.
“We have had several situations where folks, primarily from California, were buying properties sight-unseen,” Sharp said. “Because housing is so limited right now and our properties are so limited, a lot of those have just trusted their agents to find property for them.”
An October 2020 survey released by Kentucky Realtors found 38% of out-of-state buyers entering western Kentucky are from the midwest, 27% are from the northeast, 22% are from the west and 13% are from the south.
According to Business Insider, the number of houses for sale across the nation is at an all-time low due to “mass relocations and purchases,” and the hesitancy of existing homeowners to move in the wake of COVID-19.
Sharp said properties are limited, prices have increased and interest rates are lower at present in Murray.
“When you throw in buyers from other areas, highly urban areas, where the costs are higher anyway, it’s just greatly increased the overall pricing on homes,” Sharp said.
Warren Miller and his wife moved from Kansas City, Missouri to Murray after they “fell in love” with the town on a vacation last year. Miller said they chose Murray because of the friendliness of the people and appeal of the lake.
“There’s no smell of traffic, tires, especially out where we bought. The air’s clearer. That’s something that people that live in the city don’t understand at all,” Miller said
Miller said he’s still struck by the willingness of Murray residents to help one another, such as strangers directing him when he gets lost in the grocery store.
“There’s so many draws to this town,” Miller said. “I worry that it will get out that people really like it and start moving here.”
