• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, June 8, 2023

Searches for “sell my home fast” rose 2,504% in the United States on June 7, according to data commissioned by FindStorageFast, a company that rents storage units and provides a checklist for those moving.

The company analyzed the data from Google search as New York became blanketed with hazardous smoke from Canada's wildfires, turning the air quality into the world's worst, according to a report from IQAir.

The analysis by FindStorageFast reveals that searches for "sell my home fast" rose by more than 26 times the average volume in the past week, as many more New Yorkers look to sell their property. Similarly, "sell my house fast" searches jumped by 2,147%.

The data also reveals that searches for "sell my house" rose by 326% on the same day. Statewide searches for "sell home" also increased by 307%.

IQAir's report ranked New York City's air quality as the worst of any major city worldwide on Wednesday, overtaking New Delhi, according to FindStorageFast.

The city has been covered by a blanket of orange smog due to smoke from Canada's wildfires, resulting in hazardous air quality for millions. Authorities have instructed residents to remain inside.

New York-based searches for "air purifier" also rose by 2,418% in the past week due to environmental conditions in the city, despite a slowing housing market as a result of increased property taxes and prices. 

Mortgage rates continue to approach 7%, up from 2% a year and a half ago. According to Zillow, the average home price in New York rose 2.7% on last year at just under $650,000, and the median rent is $3,650.

Apparently, many New Yorkers have already moved, with many moving to Florida. The Florida Department of Highway Safety, about 10,824 New Yorkers have exchanged their licenses in the first three months of this year.

A report by the U.S. Census Bureau released in May estimates more than 468,200 residents left New York City between April 2020 and July 2022, accounting for a 5.3% decrease in the city's population.

The largest loss came between 2020 and 2021 when the population declined by just over 281,000, according to one news outlet.