Before You Decide Not To Move, Find Out How Much Equity You Have in Your Willow Glen Home

I understand why many Willow Glen homeowners feel reluctant to move.

Maybe you bought years ago.

Your mortgage rate may be far below today's rates.

Your monthly payment may feel comfortable.

And when you look at today's purchase prices and borrowing costs, selling can seem financially difficult before you even run the numbers.

But there is one number that often gets left out of the conversation:

How much equity do you have in your current home?

For a longtime Willow Glen homeowner, the answer may change what is possible.

Equity Builds Quietly Over Time

Home equity is the difference between your property's current value and what you still owe.

Every principal payment reduces your loan balance.

At the same time, a home's value can change over time.

The longer someone has owned, the more opportunity there has been for both to occur.

Realtor.com reports that 45.2% of U.S. homeowners have lived in their homes for more than 15 years. One in four has owned for more than 25 years.

That describes a lot of established neighborhoods.

And Willow Glen has many homeowners who purchased long before today's prices.

National Equity Examples Are Eye-Opening

Research highlighted by Keeping Current Matters illustrates how much equity a homeowner could have accumulated in a median-priced home depending on when it was purchased.

Its examples estimate:

• Approximately $435,300 for a median-priced home purchased in 1995.

• Approximately $336,400 for one purchased in 2005.

• Approximately $284,700 for one purchased in 2015.

Those are national examples.

They are not estimates of what a Willow Glen homeowner has today.

In fact, because Willow Glen prices differ significantly from national medians, the only responsible way to understand your position is to look at your individual home.

Why This Matters in Willow Glen

Santa Clara County's July median single-family sale price was $1.955 million, up 2.9% from July 2025.

Willow Glen itself includes homes at very different price points, and county median movements do not tell us how much an individual property has appreciated.

But consider the general situation of someone who bought a Willow Glen home 15, 20, or 30 years ago.

The original purchase price may be dramatically lower than today's market value.

At the same time, much of the original mortgage may have been paid down.

That can create a significant amount of equity.

Your Old Mortgage Rate Is Only Half the Equation

One of the biggest reasons homeowners tell me they do not want to move is their mortgage rate.

That makes sense.

Freddie Mac reported the average 30-year fixed rate at 6.65% as of August 20.

Giving up a much lower rate deserves careful consideration.

But the rate on the next mortgage is not the only number affecting the payment.

The size of that mortgage matters too.

If selling your current home gives you enough equity for a substantial down payment, you may need to finance far less than you expect.

That can change the calculation.

Downsizing Can Look Very Different Once You Include Equity

This is particularly relevant for longtime Willow Glen owners considering downsizing.

Suppose the house feels larger than you need.

Maybe you would prefer a smaller property, fewer stairs, less maintenance, or a different location.

It is easy to look at today's rates and assume a move makes no sense.

But if your existing home has substantial equity, you may be able to put a very large amount down on the next home.

Some homeowners may even have enough net proceeds to purchase their next property without a mortgage.

That will not be true for everyone.

But it is worth finding out.

Move-Up Buyers Can Use Equity Too

The same concept applies if your family needs more space.

Selling your current Willow Glen home may create the down payment for the next one.

A larger down payment could reduce the amount you need to borrow and potentially make the monthly payment more manageable.

Again, this is not a reason to move.

It is a reason to calculate before deciding not to.

Market Value Is Only the Starting Number

When I talk with a homeowner about equity, I would not stop at an online estimate of what the house might be worth.

The useful calculation is closer to:

Likely sale price - Mortgage and other secured debt - Expected selling expenses = Estimated net proceeds

That is the number you can begin using to evaluate the next move.

Highly Appreciated Homes May Have Tax Considerations

This deserves particular attention in Willow Glen.

Longtime owners may have substantial appreciation.

Qualifying homeowners may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain individually or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly on the sale of a primary residence, subject to federal eligibility requirements.

But some Willow Glen homeowners may have gains above those thresholds.

Before making a decision based on an expected amount of cash from a sale, a qualified tax professional should help evaluate the potential tax impact.

What I Would Do Before Making a Decision

If you are thinking about moving but the numbers feel intimidating, I would start by answering four questions:

What could your Willow Glen home reasonably sell for today?

How much do you still owe?

What might you net after selling expenses?

What would that amount allow you to do on the next purchase?

You may decide moving still does not make sense.

That is completely valid.

But now it is an informed decision.

The Bottom Line

A low mortgage rate can be valuable.

So can the equity you have spent years building.

For many longtime Willow Glen homeowners, those two numbers are pulling in opposite directions.

Before allowing the mortgage rate to make the decision for you, find out what your equity looks like.

That one number may open options you have not considered.