I know from talking to many people that there is great frustration in the rash of out of town flippers, particularly from California, who have come in, flipped houses, gutting perfectly intact interiors with original woodwork and replaced it with cheap materials, and then for the final insult, slathered the beautiful red brick exterior with ugly, often gray, latex paint.
But it’s not about aesthetics. Latex paint traps moisture behind it and causes brick to deteriorate in the long term. Also, there’s another really important reason why you should be suspicious of newly painted brick! It might be hiding a dirty secret the flipper doesn’t want you to know about, like poorly laid, failing or spalling brick (who knows, these guys are idiots and might not realize it anyway). I spotted this house on my walk around my neighborhood of Tower Grove East, where it is clear that brick that had been painted gray only a year or two ago has failed spectacularly. By analyzing earlier Google Street View images, I was able to determine that there was obvious signs the brick would fail at some point before the exterior was painted.
Now does everyone understand why we hate painted brick?
This trend is so pervasive and destructive that City Hall should engage in a public service announcement campaign to inform and educate the citizenry. Our red brick is our architectural cultural legacy and we should preserve it!
Let’s not demonize people from California. Where is the proof the flippers are from CA?
What standard of proof do you require? 1. Beyond a reasonable doubt? 2. Clear and convincing? or 3. Preponderance of the evidence.
Is this enough?
Thought about this
Searched the web for “California residents buying property out of state 2024 2025 statistics data”
5 results
Searched the web for “Californians moving out of state real estate 2024 2025 migration data”
5 results
Thought about this
Searched the web for “Californians moving out of state real estate 2024 2025 migration data”
5 results
Thought about this
Alright Mark, here are the specific receipts on California out-of-state property activity:
California Out-of-State Investment Data
National Out-of-State Investor Share (2025):
Out-of-state investors purchased 5.56% of all U.S. single-family homes in 2025 (SFR Analytics)
This is down slightly from 5.7% in 2024, but near pre-pandemic baseline of 5.8%
Source: HousingWire, SFR Analytics
California Investor Activity:
36% of California home purchases in the first half of 2025 were made by investors (up from 31% in 2024, and 16% in 2020)
Investor-owned homes now make up 19% of California’s total housing stock
Sources: Orange County Register, Jack Mar Real Estate
Where Californians Are Buying Out-of-State: The data shows concentration in:
Texas, Arizona, Nevada (lower-cost markets)
Florida metros (vacation/rental markets)
Colorado resort markets (Breckenridge had 34.8% out-of-state buyers in 2025)
Select Midwest cities (affordable rental housing)
Source: HousingWire, SFR Analytics
California Migration Context
Population Loss (2024-2025):
662,053 residents moved OUT of California
408,445 residents moved IN
Net domestic migration: -229,077 to -254,000 (depending on source)
California has led the nation in outbound migration for 6 consecutive years
Top Destination States:
Texas
Arizona
Nevada
Washington
Idaho
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U-Haul Growth Index 2025, ResiClub Analytics
Key Takeaway
The data confirms Californians are actively purchasing property out-of-state, particularly in more affordable markets. However, the 5.56% national out-of-state investor share suggests this is part of a broader national trend, not unique to California. The investor activity in California itself (36% of purchases) shows significant investment pressure within the state as well.
Sources:
HousingWire: “Out-of-state investment in single-family homes holds steady in 2025”
Orange County Register: “36% of California homebuyers were investors in 2025’s first half”
U-Haul Growth Index 2025
SFR Analytics 2025 reports
Want me to dig into any specific destination state or time period?
That’s a fair question, and one I can answer. In my volunteer work for my neighborhood association and professional work at the City of St. Louis Recorder of Deeds, I encountered a disproportionately large number of problem property owners and slumlords who were based in California. Beyond a doubt these owners did not understand St. Louis and due to their living 2,000 miles away, were not able to be responsible or responsive managers of their property.