New York Air Quality Causes Surge Of “Sell My Home Fast” Searches

NEW YORK (AP)- As New York turns orange due to hazardous smog from wildfires in Canada, searches for “sell my home fast” skyrocketed 2,504% on Google across the United States on June 7th, according to an analysis by FindStorageFast.

Whatever Search Gets Results

The analysis shows that searches for “sell my house fast” followed close behind, leaping up 2,147% amid the distressing weather phenomena. Not showing the same extreme jump, but undoubtedly remarkable, searches for “sell my house” and “sell home” also reached new heights, increasing 326% and 307%, respectively.

The Cause

It’s no wonder that New Yorkers are desperate to sell their homes. The air outside has turned the entire city a dark orange that looks ominous and is genuinely dangerous to residents. A report by IQAir said that the city’s air quality on Wednesday was the worst of all the major cities in the world, leading authorities to instruct residents to stay inside and avoid breathing as much of the hazardous air as possible.

The report shows that the wildfire smog has led New York to overtake New Delhi as the major city with the worst air quality in the world. And it’s not just New York City. State and local authorities have issued air quality alerts throughout the northern United States, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley regions.

Joining New York, Maryland has issued a Code Red warning for most residents, particularly children and older adults, urging residents to remain indoors as much as possible. Several schools nationwide have canceled after-school activities for students, opting instead to send them home as soon as possible.

When Will It End?

The smog is wavering across the northern United States. Editor Kristin Stones says, “It almost seems to be getting a bit better here in PA but also seemed that way yesterday morning, then got bad by evening again.”

Similarly, Lisa Iannucci, author of Healthy Travel: Don’t Leave Home Without It, says that in the Hudson Valley, “It was better this morning, but it’s gotten worse as the day went on.”

Meteorologists predict that the winds will change in the coming days, helping to push the smoke from the Northeast. But, as the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center tweeted Wednesday afternoon, “as long as the fires continue, the smoke may simply be directed towards other areas of the U.S.”

Other Solutions

Moving isn’t the only idea that New York residents had for getting better breathing air. In response to air quality, searches for “air purifier” have also jumped 2,418% over the last week.

The warning from authorities and weather services are leading people to act in whatever way they can, and while staying inside certainly helps, the polluted air can still enter homes through windows and doors that cannot be fully insulated. That’s where air purifiers can play a significant role in keeping people safe indoors.

Experts recommend N95 masks for those needing to go outside, as they can keep the most dangerous particles from entering your respiratory system. Some residents likely still have some masks bought in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and these should be used now in response to the poor air quality.

Keeping Furry and Feathered Friends Safe

Pet-loving associations are urging dog owners who need to take their canine friends out to use the restroom to make these trips as swiftly as possible, as the air quality can affect pets just as much, if not more, than humans. Veterinarians suggest keeping dogs busy indoors with games and making sure that they stay well-hydrated. Bird owners must be even more careful, as pet birds should not breathe smokey air.

Impact on The Housing Market?

This dash to sell comes when housing costs have been rapidly increasing. Mortgage rates nationwide are approaching 7% after sitting at 2% just a year and a half ago, while the average price for a home in New York is 2.7% higher than a year ago.

CEO and Founder of FindStorageFast D’Arcy Hunter, notes that neither buyers nor sellers are in a great position to benefit at the moment and says, “It will be interesting to see if this spike translates into more listings and sales and what this may mean for the city’s housing market long-term.”

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.