Home Sweet Home
To Sell, Or Not To Sell?
According to Realtor.com, 45.2 percent of homeowners have lived in their home for more than 15 years, and one in four have been there for over 25 years. If that applies to you, the impact of long-term appreciation and years of payments can be substantial. Research from Realtor.com shows just how meaningful that equity can be. Homeowners who bought in the mid-1990s may now have over $400,000 in equity. Those who purchased in the early 2000s could have more than $330,000, even after the housing crash. Buyers from 2015 may have already built nearly $285,000 in equity in about ten years. Your exact number will vary, but many homeowners are sitting on far more equity than they realize. That equity can help offset higher rates, fund a strong down payment, or even allow for a cash purchase. If you have not reviewed your home’s value recently, now is a smart time to do so. You do not have to sell, but knowing your equity gives you clarity and options.
A question I hear constantly right now is, “Is it even a good time to sell?”
For many homeowners, the answer may be surprising. For a lot of people, it is still a very good time to sell, largely because of one important factor that often gets overlooked: equity. If you have owned your home for a while, you already know you have equity. What many homeowners do not realize is just how much equity they may have built, and how powerful that number can be when thinking about a move. Homeownership builds wealth quietly over time. Every mortgage payment reduces your loan balance and increases your ownership stake. At the same time, home values generally rise over the long term, increasing the overall value of your home. Together, those forces steadily build equity year after year. This is especially true for homeowners who have been in their homes for a long time, which is a large share of today’s market.
Submitted by Christie Giannetto, REALTOR®, ΓEAL Broker
REACH OUT TODAY! The consultation is always FREE and without obligation. You should know what your home is worth in today’s market! Christie Giannetto | REALTOR ® Christie@AZLifestyleTeam.com SurpriseMatters.com
602.740.2313
January 2026 9
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