Why 80% of Manhattan Buyers Are Looking Elsewhere—and the Borough Winning Them Over

More New Yorkers are trading Manhattan for the outer boroughs, where first-time homebuyers and upsizers alike can get significantly more value for their dollar without sacrificing the big-city lifestyle.A recent Realtor.com® cross-market demand analysis tracking listing views across the five boroughs that make up New York City—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—reveals that one neighborhood stands above the rest as the most popular destination for intracity movers.Queens captured nearly 36% of all cross-borough market traffic, with Manhattan residents accounting for more than 45% of all inbound views on Queens listings."Our team has seen a steady influx of buyers making a jump over from Manhattan in recent years," Geraldine Giraldo, a real estate agent with Queens Home Team, confirms to Realtor.com. "Most are either long-term renters or Manhattan natives."Meanwhile, Manhattanites had the lowest retention rate in the city, with roughly 20% of their online listing searches staying within the borough and nearly 80% being directed elsewhere—a sign that residents are eyeing the exit.Search retention rates in the other boroughs were significantly higher. Staten Isl...