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Ditching the Zip
Why homeowners are leaving their hometowns
#129
WELCOME
Can’t shrink housing costs? Try shrinking the lots they sit on.
In Colorado, lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow new single-family homes to be built on lots as small as 2,000 square feet—about a third the size of many suburban parcels today. If passed, Colorado would join states like Texas and Oregon that have already taken similar affordability steps.
It may not leave much room for a picket fence or a dog to run, but if it lowers the cost of entry for buyers, a smaller patch of grass may be a trade-off worth making.
After working in marketing for brand giants Disney and IBM, Danielle Garofalo shifted her focus to high-end New York real estate, property technology, and agent consulting. Her experience as a CMO and Chief of Business Development, paired with her deep understanding of the market, gives her the ability to support high-performance agents in a uniquely strategic way. In this conversation on Glennda’s Guru, Danielle shares her advice for using direct mail marketing to prove your real value, communicating beyond buzzwords, and how to easily start building your own email or direct mail contact list.
TRACK THE MARKET: Nearly 1 in 5 house hunters are looking to relocate
The data shows it: your best new leads may not be local ones. Long-distance moves are ticking up again as more buyers consider relocating for affordability, lifestyle, or work flexibility. Redfin data shows a growing share of house hunters searching outside their current metro area, helped by slightly lower mortgage rates and more homes coming on the market. While the overall housing market remains slower than in past years, the data shows an interesting trend: a significant portion of buyers getting ready to enter your market may not be local at all.
By the numbers:
18.8% of house hunters using Redfin in Q4 searched for homes outside their current metro area, up from 17.9% a year earlier and 15.9% five years ago.
Los Angeles and New York had the biggest net outflows among major metros, while Florida was the top state destination for inflows, attracting twice as many Redfin searchers as South Carolina and Arizona, the next two states on the list.
Migration patterns have shifted dramatically in some regions: more than 20,000 Bay Area residents searched for homes in Austin in 2021, compared with just 2,900 in 2025.
DIVE IN
The Friday Five
📖 “Insult” offer. Lowball offers are so back—and here’s how you nail them.
👀 $63.1M. Paris Hilton just purchased Mark Wahlberg’s former LA residence—and it’s glam to the max.
👀 Exclusive amenities. See what $1M gets you in Portugul’s up-and-coming luxury community, Vilamoura.
💡 Give a gift. Why this ‘concierge style’ approach to closing the deal keeps your clients incredibly loyal.
💡4.99% mortgage?The catch behind Opendoor’s ultra-affordable interest rate.
WHAT’S NEW FROM ESTATE MEDIA
Mamdani’s property tax pains
If you’ve been following NYC news, you know the city is facing a massive $5.4B budget deficit. But what Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to do about it is the real headline. He just put forth a high-stakes proposal that would increase city property tax by a whopping 9.5%—unless a new ‘millionaires tax’ (a 2% surcharge on incomes over $1M) is approved.
What does this new property tax—or the ‘millionaires tax’ that may replace it—mean for NYC-based agents, landlords, owners, and renters? Tap below for Jeffrey St. Arromand’s breakdown in Let’s Get to the Point.
FEATURED LUXURY LISTING
TIPS & TAKEAWAYS
Your next deal might already be in your inbox.
One of Glennda Baker’s reminders this week is simple: too many agents spend too much time chasing new leads and not enough time nurturing the relationships they already have. Past clients, contacts, and people in your sphere often become the most consistent source of referrals—especially when markets slow and new leads are harder to find.
Find out exactly how Glennda combs through her existing relationships to turn simple check-ins into real business in this week’s Her Real Estate.
HANGS & HAPPENINGS
The Gathering by HousingWire | Austin, TX | April 27 - 30, 2026
This event for mortgage professionals, brokerage leaders, and investors connects you with some of the most powerful and prominent executives in the housing industry. Hear from experts on housing policy, real estate solutions, affordability opportunities, investments, and more.
Inman Luxury Connect | San Diego, CA | July 27 - 28, 2026
The industry’s premier event for elite agents and brokers in the luxury space hosts immersive discussions, interactive workshops, top-tier networking events, and a roster of speakers including James Harris, Jason Oppenheim, and Jade Mills.
Before we go…
ESTATE RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
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