Buying a home is one of the most expensive purchases most people make in their lifetime. And because moving is often triggered by a life change, like welcoming a new family member, movers end up spending a lot of additional money on items you wouldn’t necessarily associate with a move.
Today, we’re announcing the results from our first Zillow Mover Study, which found that 21 percent of movers spend $10,000 or more on products and services as a result of their move. With more than 19 million of Zillow’s 37 million visitors moving within two years (according to our internal data), that could add up to over $40.4 billion spent by Zillow users alone.
So, what do movers typically spend their money on? It was no surprise to find the usual suspects like home appliances and home entertainment products surface in our survey — movers are five times more likely to buy an oven versus non-movers, for example — but we were really surprised by some of the other big- and small-ticket items that made the shopping list.
For instance, movers are 90 percent more likely to purchase a vehicle within the first year after a move than non-movers. When you move into a home, it takes awhile to learn the neighborhood. Maybe that’s why movers are 209 percent more likely to purchase a new navigation system than non-movers.
In addition to the big-ticket purchases that coincide with a move, movers also are more likely to switch up their household products. Movers are 62 percent more likely to use a new skincare brand and 85 percent more likely to try a new household cleaner than non-movers.
Additional findings from our survey can be found in the infographic below:
(Click on image to make larger)
