Tampa Bay’s metro area is No. 8 on a list of top-10 destinations for people who pursue relocating to a U.S. state other than the one where they live, according to recent Realtor.com research.

Tampa is the only Florida city on this latest Realtor.com list, and ICI Homes is a preferred builder in several major, master-planned communities in the Tampa Bay region.

So what’s behind Tampa’s popularity as a top target for cross-state moves? Perhaps unsurprisingly, affordability is a big priority.

As researchers from Realtor.com discovered this trend of people searching for their next homes in states beyond their own, the foremost factors included mortgage rates, home prices and the economy.

Prospective home searchers appear to be prioritizing lower costs of living, great deals, and good buys for their money. The South and Midwest regions appear to be affordability magnets, according to the Realtor.com data, with median home listing prices at or below the midsummer 2023 national average.

We at ICI Homes spotlight some of this research below, along with where you can find our work in the Tampa Bay area.

Illuminating data

Researchers at Realtor.com spotlighted several trends for home buyers searching out-of-state for their next residence. They examined their own data from folks perusing listings on Realtor.com during the second quarter of 2023. By comparing users’ current locations to the states and regions where they searched for future homes, researchers discovered the out-of-state trend that spanned more than 900 metro areas in the U.S.

They then tallied a top-10 list of users’ most-searched, out-of-state metro areas, and chose only one metro area per state for clarity.

Tampa’s out-of-state lure

Florida’s central west coast has always been a draw for future residents, but it picked up steam during the pandemic. And, Tampa Bay remains a sunny destination for future residents from out-of-state.

Per this latest Realtor.com research, Tampa’s No. 8 ranking on this top-10 destinations for out-of-state buyers is due to home prices near the U.S.’s then-average price of $449,000. Plus, the appeal of Tampa Bay’s year-round temperate climate, Gulf of Mexico beaches and healthy job markets has never been stronger.

ICI Homes in the Tampa Bay Area

As Florida’s Custom Home Builder, we’ve built new homes all over the state for more than four decades. We also know the Tampa Bay area very well; it’s home to our West Florida Division.

Look for ICI Homes’ work in Persimmon Park, located in Wiregrass Ranch, one of Tampa Bay’s most popular master-planned communities.

You’ll also find us as a preferred builder in several of the region’s communities — Bexley and Connerton in Land O’Lakes, and Lake Jovita in Dade City. And, we’re happy to build on your Tampa Bay-area lot.

Ready for your new custom Florida home? Talk to ICI Homes here.