moving Archives • Page 2 of 2 • Our Town America, Inc.

How to Keep your Local Economy Afloat during the Pandemic

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Local Economy Buy Gift Cards

NBC WRAL News – Since the pandemic started, thousands of restaurants — many of them local, have shut their doors permanently across the United States. 23,981 Restaurants are out of business 27,663 Retail Stores are closed forever 15,384 Salons and spas are permanently closed 5,589 Fitness Centers and gyms will never open again But Our Town America of The Triangle franchise owner Sally Hanson says, “We all have a role to play in saving our local businesses. We can change our habits just a little – such as shopping local when you can instead of buying from Amazon, for example.” For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. Franchises employ roughly 8 million people nationwide, and even they are typically locally owned. Hanson suggests a few tips to help ‘Save Our Town’: Consider paying for your gym membership even if it remains closed. Roughly 28% of all gym-goers are expected to cancel their memberships this year. Some gyms have already filed for bankruptcy! Buy a gift card or start a tab! You can give local restaurants more money now by buying gift cards you can use later when the restaurant is more stable. Or you can pay $100 upfront for future purchases and ask the restaurant to withdraw from your tab when you eat there. Holiday shop now! Some local shops may not make it to the holiday rush. Buy your gifts now and give them a boost! Tip well many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day! Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons and massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. You could pay for haircuts for the rest of the year now and have the salon withdraw from your account as you go. Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat and shop right now. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants and local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Also mention when a restaurant has outdoor seating. Redeem your New Mover Offers. If you’re a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your Gift Certificates from your local businesses. The businesses included in our Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood! Return the favor by patronizing these businesses – whether in-store, curbside, or delivery. Both Our Town America of The Triangle and the Our Town America franchise as a whole want consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies. Click below for the WRAL News clip. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local business in The Triangle area looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Sally Hanson at 919-349-7611 or shanson@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere, you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Current Housing Market and Coronavirus Moving Survey Findings | NBC Raleigh

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

North Carolina Moving Homes Coronavirus Survey Our Town America

NBC WRAL News | Raleigh, NC (June 2020) – As the United States begins reopening amidst the busy summer moving season, Our Town America of The Triangle franchise owner, Sally Hanson, joins WRAL to discuss the current housing market. A recent survey commissioned by the Our Town America franchise shows that many people are considering moving due to Coronavirus, as well as other reasons. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, more than 40% would consider moving now. Some people are looking to move out of hot spot states altogether, while others are looking to flee major cities and move into more suburban areas. South Atlantic states rank as the top areas people would move to. Many people want to live in warmer climates to lessen the chance of contracting the Coronavirus, others want their children to attend different schools, and many are seeking areas that are rich in parks & greenways – such as The Triangle of North Carolina. Many areas in North Carolina are highly sought after due to their excellent cost of living and job availability. Many people also have more time at home to fix outstanding home repair issues, put their house on the market and search online for a new place to call home. Nationwide, it’s expected that moving rates will rise due to extremely low interest rates and changes in finances for many Americans. Hanson stated that many of her partnered local business owners are looking forward to getting back to ‘normal,’ consumers are eager to support local businesses and, as mentioned, looking to move into new homes for various reasons. Hanson expects and hopes to see the economy strengthen in the coming months. Both Our Town America of The Triangle and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want both consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Pandemic or not, it’s a win-win when small business owners and local consumers ban together to strengthen the local economy. Click below to see the full NBC News clip ft. Sally Hanson. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local business in The Triangle area looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Sally Hanson at 919-349-7611 or shanson@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere, you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Sacramentans Looking to Move, Says Recent Survey | ABC News

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Moving Trends COVID

ABC News (June 2020) – Coronavirus shocked the United States, and for a lot of Americans, it made them rethink where they want to live. As the country starts to reopen in time for the busy summer moving season, David Frisch of Our Town America of Greater Sacramento states that residents who may have never considered moving before are considering moving due to the Coronavirus outbreak. A recent 1,000-person survey commissioned by Our Town America, the nation’s leading New Mover Marketing franchise, reveals residents living in states hit heavily by Coronavirus would consider packing up and moving to areas not as affected by the virus – even though many have lived in their state for over 20 years, or some, their whole lives. It’s not only city-slickers who want to move – suburbanites want to hit the road too. Over half of those polled live in the suburbs and more than 30% live in the city. People are concerned about their families, health, and finances. 35% of people polled say someone in their family lost work/their job. Parents ranked their children’s well-being as a top priority, some mention they would move to an area where their children can start school sooner. Stay-at-home orders were enacted across the country to help stop the spread of Covid-19, and nearly 30% of those polled said that these orders were too severe and describe their neighborhoods during this phase as “Apocalyptic”. The desirable areas to move to? More than 1 in 4 people (28%) are eager to move to an area with a warmer climate. 53% of those folks say warm weather is better for their physical and mental health, while more than 1 in 6 believe the virus has less chance of spreading in warmer temperatures. Our Town America franchise owner, Frisch, states that people are moving within the state as well as to other states. Though there is concern about the virus, 68% of those polled are ready for the country to open now. Frisch states that people are looking forward to getting back to ‘normal,’ people are excited to visit local businesses and, as mentioned, looking to move to new homes. With quarantine, many Americans have come to the realization if they’re going to be stuck at home, they need more space, need a backyard, or maybe need that bigger kitchen or dining room as they’re eating at home more often now – whether that be store-bought groceries to takeout food from a local restaurant. Frisch expects to see the economy strengthen in the coming months. Both Our Town America of Greater Sacramento and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want both consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Pandemic or not, it’s a win-win when small business owners and local consumers ban together to strengthen the economy. Click below to see the full ABC news clip ft. David Frisch. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local California business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, reach out to Dave Frisch at 916-474-1494 or dfrisch@ourtown.net. If your business is located outside the Sacramento area, you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Moving Trends due to Coronavirus: An Infographic

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Coronavirus Moving Trends National Survey Data

All statistics drawn from survey commissioned by Our Town America. For more information, please visit: As U.S. Reopens, Coronavirus Concerns Could Lead to Mass Exodus Survey Says: Will People Move Homes during the Coronavirus Pandemic? Survey Says: Moving Trends due to Covid-19. Top Takeaways from a National Survey commissioned by Our Town America. More than 40% would consider moving for Covid-19 reasons. Top motives to move somewhere else. 36% say less chance to catch Covid-19. 32% somewhere less expensive to live. 28% say warmer climate. More than 50% say finances are one of their biggest Covid-19 worries. Top 3 things missed most during quarantine. #1 dining at restaurants. #2 spending time with family & friends. #3 running errands without worrying about my health (ie. grocery store, dry cleaner, bank, etc.). Over 70% would be open to trying out new businesses in their new city. As Covid-19 restrictions loosen up 49% will order takeout & curbside from restaurants. 35% will dine inside restaurants. Over 80% would redeem a proven community-welcome offer from a local business (ie. free meal, haircut, etc.). Roughly 2/3 would feel more comfortable in their new neighborhood if they received a housewarming gift. Survey commissioned by moving industry experts, Our Town America. Our Town America has been connecting U.S. businesses with a new set of movers every month for the past 48 years. Full survey results at ourtownamerica.com. Our Town America Welcoming New Movers Since 1972. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Survey Says: Will People Move Homes During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Survey People Moving Coronavirus

May’s National Moving Month kicks off the start of the summer moving season. The weather is starting to warm up and it’s a great time to make the transition to a new location. While the unfortunate Coronavirus pandemic has no doubt made an impact on the economy, a new national survey commissioned by Our Town America shows many people are actually looking to move – some as a result of the current crisis. The survey of 1,000 people across America answers the question of whether or not people will relocate homes due to Coronavirus and offers responses that might shock you! Getting Personal The survey first gathered personal information to gain a better understanding of the context for responses. Our diverse pool of respondents is a good representation of the general population’s thoughts during the moving season. When asked, what is your age? 9.6% said Generation Z (18-23 years old) 32.7% said Millennials (24-39 years old) 27.5% said Generation X (40-55 years old) 26.7% said Boomers (56-74 years old) 3.6% said Silent Generation (75+ years old) When asked, do you identify as male or female? 49.2% said Male 50.3% said Female 0.5% said Neither When asked, Which State do you live in? 10.0% said California 10.0% said Connecticut 10.0% said Florida 10.0% said Illinois 10.0% said Louisiana 10.0% said Massachusetts 10.0% said Michigan 10.1% said New Jersey 10.0% said New York 10.0% said Pennsylvania When asked, what is your current marital status? 31.5% said Single, never married 48.4% said Married 7.9% said Divorced 0.7% said Separated 3.5% said Widowed 7.8% said Living with partner or significant other 0.3% said Prefer not to answer When asked, how many children do you have? 45.5% said 0 17.6% said 1 23.4% said 2 8.0% said 3 3.4% said 4 1.3% said 5 0.5% said 6 0.3% said 7 0.1% said 8 or more When asked, in what type of area do you currently live? 32.4% said City 52.8% said Suburbs 14.8% said Rural When asked, how long have you lived in your current state? 1.7% said A few months 2.0% said One year 7.3% said Two to five years 6.1% said Six to ten years 6.6% said Eleven to fifteen years 5.4% said Sixteen to twenty years 19.8% said More than twenty years 51.1% said My whole life How people view the effects of Coronavirus Next, we had to identify concerns of Coronavirus in the survey takers’ current state. If someone lives in a hotspot for Coronavirus, would they consider moving? Would they consider moving because of something related to the Coronavirus? Understanding the feelings of this crisis, we were able to paint a clearer picture of our respondents’ situations. When asked, how concerned are you about Coronavirus in your area? 51.0% said Very concerned 31.7% said Somewhat concerned 12.4% said Moderately concerned 4.9% said Not at all concerned When asked, how do you feel about where you live right now? (Choose best answer) 4.5% said I hate it 7.3% said I don’t like it 26.2% said It’s OK, but I feel as if I need a change 31.1% said I like it 11.2% said I love it, but I feel like I need to move 19.8% said I love it and I’m never moving When asked, you live in one of the hotspot States for Coronavirus. Would you consider moving? 41.7% said Yes 58.3% said No When asked, would you consider moving because of anything related to the coronavirus? 26.0% said Yes 74.0% said No When asked, how strongly would you consider a move? (Choose best answer) 36.5% said Very strongly 50.8% said Somewhat strongly 12.7% said Would mildly consider When asked, what is it related to Coronavirus that makes you consider moving? (Select all that apply) 41.5% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my health or the health of my family member(s) 43.5% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my finances 37.3% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my mental well-being 25.8% said Because of the coronavirus, I lost work/my job and/or my business is suffering 33.1% said I’m tired of stay-at-home orders 35.4% said I want my freedom and want lesser restrictions 23.8% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my relationships Driving forces to move because of the pandemic The next section shows when, where and why people would move due to Coronavirus. So many options for people to consider! When asked, when would you move? (Choose best answer) 19.6% said as fast as I can. I want out! 8.1% said This spring 16.5% said This summer 12.7% said This fall 6.5% said This winter 17.7% said Sometime next year 18.8% said Sometime in the next few years When asked, how strongly would you consider a move if there’s a second wave of Coronavirus where you live? (Choose best answer) 16.2% said Very strongly 18.2% said Somewhat strongly 27.0% said Would mildly consider 38.7% said Would not consider at all When asked, would you want to move to an area that was less effected by the Coronavirus? (Had fewer Coronavirus cases and deaths compared to where you live now) 53.3% said Yes 46.7% said No When asked, why do you want to move to an area less effected by the Coronavirus? (Select all that apply) 29.0% said Fewer people 39.5% said Less chance of me and my family catching coronavirus 26.6% said Less chance of another resurgence of coronavirus that shuts down the whole area 9.7% said My area will have bad memories of coronavirus and I need to get away 27.0% said Need a new place for a fresh start 16.7% said I want to live in an area that has/had looser restrictions or no restrictions at all. 44.2% said I want peace of mind for me and my family 31.8% said I want somewhere less expensive to live 27.7% said I want to […]

Millennial New Mover Wants & Needs

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Millennial New Movers

All statistics drawn from full survey commissioned by Our Town America, which can be found here — Survey Says: What New Mover Data Shows About Millennial New Movers. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

7 Things Millennials Want from Where They Are Moving To

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

What Millennial New Movers Want in a Town

Millennials are on the move, but where are they moving? Millennials (defined as adults born between 1981 and 1996) are one of the most coveted demos in marketing, but finding the right balance for engaging this generation can be tricky. Our Town America commissioned a comprehensive survey and put together a list to help you take your local business marketing to the next level. So, what do Millennials look for in a new city that can help your business set itself apart? Millennials Care About Careers One surprising piece of homeowner data our survey found was that Millennials care more about careers than you might think! Over 30 percent of our survey said that they relocated for their career for their last move. And that’s not all, 71 percent of Millennials surveyed said they would live in the middle of nowhere for a higher paying job. It’s no secret that jobs drive community growth, and you can bet that Millennials are moving where the jobs are. Millennials Want Convenience Millennials want convenience in their communities, and that means convenience. Over half of those surveyed (57.4 percent) said that living within walking distance to restaurants and other stores is important to them. A quaint downtown area with diverse local businesses goes a long way in appealing to the Millennial mindset. Everyone knows that Millennials love to shop local, and from boutiques to salons to coffee shops, Millennials are ready to pound the pavement. Delivery Services Matter for Millennials Even though our survey established that Millennials love walking, that doesn’t mean that they’re above delivery. Our homeowner information shows that two-thirds of survey participants (69 percent) think being in range of delivery services is important. Millennials are also loyal to local businesses. More than 60 percent of our survey said they were highly likely to re-visit a business they received a valuable offer from. Pets Take Precedence for Millennials America is a nation that loves its pets. Millennials are no exception. The survey found that three in five Millennials have pets. What’s more, is that 70 percent of those pet owners said their pets influenced where they chose to live. Whether it’s dogs, cats, birds, fish, turtles, or bunnies, there’s no question that their furry friends have a big impact on where Millennials choose to live. A community being pet-friendly means much more than big yards. It means pet-friendly shops and ample pet parks for playtime. The same goes for pet-based businesses like grooming services, dog-walkers, and pet-sitters. Everyone Wants Community Events While only 20 percent of Millennials said they want to live in the big city, over half still said they want to be in a community with lots of exciting events. Food festivals top the list of desirable town attractions with over 69 percent, followed closely by concerts, beer and wine tasting events, sporting events, and family outings. Whether it’s a food truck rodeo, a weekend out at a local brewery, or family fun at a folk-art festival, Millennials want something fun to do together. Millennials Want to Know Their Neighbors Many people think of Millennials as the new “me” generation, but they might like to think of themselves as the “us” generation. Our survey found that three in four Millennials actually prefer meeting people in person (as opposed to online). Over 44 percent said that it’s very important for them to know the people living around them. A strong and vibrant community with a friendly feel and an air of hospitality can go a long way to bringing in Millennial movers. Housewarming Gifts Mean a Lot to Millennials It may seem old-fashioned, but Millennials still appreciate a thoughtful housewarming gift. Our survey found that over 80 percent of Millennials would feel more comfortable in a new home or neighborhood if they received a housewarming gift. Even so, only 41.3 percent of survey participants said they’d ever received a housewarming gift. And housewarming gifts go beyond presents. Over 84 percent of our survey said they would jump on a proven offer from a local business. Helping Millennials feel connected to their communities goes a long way to attracting new movers. Connecting Businesses with Millennial Movers We hope this helps to give you a better idea of what inspires Millennials when they choose where to move. One thing is for certain, they want to know what’s out there. Nearly 60 percent of our survey said they wish they had been told more about their new communities after moving in. Whether they receive a welcome guide for new movers or join a new homeowner mailing list, a little info about their new surroundings goes a long way to helping Millennials feel at home. New mover marketing services help keep Millennials informed on local businesses and services while putting your brand in front of a valuable new audience. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]