Small: What’s driving demand for real estate around the country?

Source: Aspen Daily News — 

When cities and states across the country began implementing stay-at-home orders and other pandemic measures, many housing market analysts initially predicted a drastic downturn. Initially, the housing market saw a marked decline, as first-time homeowners and those looking to trade up to a larger home shied away from such a monumental purchase in uncertain times. Within a few months, however, it became apparent that the dip in home sales was short-lived. We experienced this in the Aspen-Snowmass area with a sudden unprecedented demand for real estate in the area over the past 18 months.