A new report found that being pet-friendly is not the most popular amenity that apartment hunters are looking for during the COVID-19 crisis.
StreetEasy analyzed their search history for the month of May 2020 and compared it to the same time the previous year. In May 2019, searches for pet-friendly apartments were the most popular with 29% of the share of searches, with in-unit laundry in second with 26% of searches.
However, in May 2020 pet-friendliness took a back seat to in-unit laundry, which had 33% of StreetEasy searches. Pet-friendly apartments were 29% of searches that same month.
StreetEasy acknowledges that while in-unit laundry has been a “holy grail” of finds for apartment hunters, the shift in higher searches could be due to COVID-19.
“COVID-19 has disrupted many New Yorkers’ laundry routines — whether they take a weekly trip to the laundromat down the block, or use shared facilities in their buildings,” the report reads. “Understandably, many are newly hesitant to share washers and dryers with others. In a recent StreetEasy survey of renters, 58% of respondents indicated that in-unit laundry has become more important to them since spending more time at home.”
Another area that saw a spike in searches on StreetEasy was apartments with outdoor spaces. In May 2020, apartments with outdoor spaces accounted for 20% of the searches – in May 2019, this amenity did not even break the top five.
“Spending more time at home has caused a lot of New York renters to reevaluate their priorities,” the report says. “After all, New York City living has always come with trade-offs to stay within budget: Having an in-unit washer and dryer meant a longer commute, or getting outdoor space required living with roommates. COVID-19 will likely have a lasting impact on how New Yorkers weigh these costs and benefits.”
Read the full report at streeteasy.com.
