A November 2024 report from Fannie Mae showed that mortgage applications for housing in rural areas spiked 80% since the start of the pandemic.

The appeal of back-to-basics rural living has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by the rise of remote work policies and the growing demand for more space, explains Theresa Lunn, broker and owner of United Country Real Estate-Western Montana Group.

Lunn, who grew up on a ranch and lives on one now, has been selling homesteads, farmhouses, and commercial ranches in Western Montana for nearly 20 years. She tells Realtor.com® that in recent years, she has seen her clientele shift, with a growing number of digital nomads and young families seeking a return to the land.

“It just warms my heart,” says the broker. “There are many, many young people that have kind of seen the light. … They’re just very wise, and they have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. And they say, ‘We want to be more self-sufficient.’”