Housing bubble? Out! Rolling boom? In! Migration and immigration patterns are creating news in housing as homebuyers try to find more affordable homes in the South and West.

New state population estimates just released by the U.S. Census Bureau suggest that homebuyers are migrating from higher-priced markets to more moderately priced areas, bringing new growth to cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Jacksonville, Phoenix and Portland.

The effect is called a rolling boom. That's when high prices force homebuyers to the suburbs, or to new towns or across state lines. California, for example, loses about 100,000 residents a year to other states, which has helped to create rolling booms in Nevada and Arizona. As those areas become less affordable, buyers are already migrating to Texas, Georgia and other states.

For the 19th year in a row, Nevada grew the most of any state, with Arizona a close second.

There are three ways that state populations grow -- births, immigration from other countries and migration from other states. Migration and immigration impact birth, creating population booms. In 2005, the nation added nearly 3 million people bringing the country's population to over 296 million.

Over half of that growth was in Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and Georgia. Regionally speaking, 36 percent of the nation lives in the South, 23 percent in the West, 22 percent in the Midwest and 18 percent in the Northeast. Florida takes the prize for the largest population increase, gaining nearly 404,000 residents. Texas was close with 388,000, or 1063 per day.

California remains the most populous state with over 36 million people in 2005. Second place went to Texas, with nearly 23 million, and third to New York with just under 20 million.

Over half the nation's population live in 10 states nearly equally divided among the Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

Those states are:

• Northeast - New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey

• Midwest - Illinois, Ohio, Michigan

• South - Texas, Florida, Georgia

• West - California

What does this mean to you as a homebuyer or seller? Realty Times advises that population shifts are as old as mankind, so it's wise to expect constant change. We are migratory by nature, and affordability will always play a part. But so does opportunity. The question is where do you want to live? Look not only at home prices, but job opportunities, lifestyle, and culture -- those should all be compelling if you are to be happy in your new home.

Remember. Wherever you go, there you are, buckaroo. Make sure you move somewhere you really want to be.

Published: December 28, 2005

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.