New role. New company. IPO. Acquisition. Remote work policy change. Growing family. Aging parents. School decisions.
For many tech professionals, life can change every few years — sometimes every few months.
But once people buy a home in the Bay Area, they often stay much longer than expected.
The numbers surprised me at first
Recent Redfin data shows the typical U.S. homeowner stays in their home about 12 years.
In San Jose, it’s closer to 19 years. In San Francisco, about 16.5 years.
That surprised me at first. Then it made perfect sense.
In the Bay Area, people do not always stay because life is predictable. They stay because moving is expensive.
- Prop 13.
- Low mortgage-rate lock-in.
- Limited inventory.
- High replacement cost.
- The emotional weight of starting over.
What I ask buyers instead
So when buyers tell me, “I don’t know if this is my forever home,” I usually ask a different question:
Can this be the right home for your next five to seven years?
Because the winning move is not always buying the perfect home.
It is buying the right home with strong fundamentals:
- A home you can enjoy now.
- A home other buyers will still want later.
- A home that may become a rental someday.
- A home that gives you options if life changes.
Forever sounds romantic. But in the Bay Area, optionality is often the real luxury.
Your forever home may not exist. Your next smart move might.
If you’re deciding whether buying in the Bay Area makes sense for your next chapter, I’m happy to help you think it through. Send me a note.
