Such a dramatic shift in housing demand could even lead to housing booms in locations less unaffected by the pandemic and its social and economic fallout, where people will hope to discover opportunities for exercise, entertainment, employment and a better lifestyle, free from the threat of restrictions on movement, assembly and travel.
While the causes of our current situation are very different from those that led to the Great Depression, the social effects could turn out to be very similar. In coming months and years, we may witness a complete reversal of the trend to live in densely populated urban areas.
As increasing numbers of people discover the benefits and attractions of living in clean, green regional areas and in States that have been less impacted by the pandemic we are likely to see housing prices in the most sought after regional and rural areas rising strongly in comparison to those of the big cities, at least for the next few years.