The Hidden Truth About Grandparents Moving to Gilroy
Timothy Alston | Broker
Aegis Luxury Real Estate · DRE# 01328224
Published
October 10, 2023
Garlic capital, South Valley gateway
Grandparents moving to be closer to their grandkids is one of the fastest-growing motivations behind long-distance relocation in the country right now. Data from the National Association of Realtors shows that adults between ages 55 and 74 are now moving farther than any other age group, often more than 100 miles, and the top reason they give is proximity to loved ones. If you are a grandparent, this might already sound familiar.
You know how it goes. Another birthday passes. Another first step you heard about secondhand. Another soccer game you watched over a shaky video call instead of from the sideline. And somewhere in the back of your mind, a question starts to form: how much longer are you willing to do it this way?
A lot of grandparents across California are sitting with that exact question right now. And many of them are not just thinking about it. They are doing something about it. But here is the part most people have not stopped to consider yet: what is staying put actually costing you, in ways that do not show up on a bank statement?
What Grandparents Moving Long Distances Are Really Saying
Have you ever stopped to think about why so many people in the 55-to-74 age range are suddenly willing to pick up and move more than 100 miles? It is not just restlessness. According to the National Association of Realtors, being closer to loved ones is the single most common reason people in that age group give for relocating. Not weather. Not cost of living. Not retirement communities. Family.
The average age of a grandparent in the United States is 67. So when the data shows that this exact age group is moving farther than any other, it is not hard to connect the dots. Many of those moves are grandparents chasing something that cannot be measured in square footage or property values: time.
Does that resonate with where you are right now?
The Pandemic Created a Gap That Many Grandparents Are Still Trying to Close
For nearly two years, grandparents were asked to keep their distance. Schools reopened, kids went back to classrooms, and the risk of transmission meant that the grandparents who wanted most to be present were the ones told to stay away. For many families, that separation stretched from weeks into months and, for some, into years.
Now that life has largely returned to normal, something shifted. The isolation that came with that period did not just create longing. It created urgency. As journalist Vance Cariaga at Go Bank Rates noted, the pull of grandchildren on major life decisions, including financial ones, should never be underestimated. His reporting found that baby boomers are relocating farther from their previous homes than they used to, specifically to be near their grandkids.
What would it mean for you if the distance between you and your grandchildren was no longer a factor?
Why Gilroy Is Showing Up on the Map for Grandparents Moving West
If your children or grandchildren are in the South Bay area, Gilroy homes for sale have become a surprisingly practical option for grandparents relocating to be closer to family. Gilroy sits at the southern end of Santa Clara County, offering more accessible home prices than many surrounding communities while still keeping you within reach of major freeways and the broader Bay Area.
The Gilroy market has seen consistent buyer interest from out-of-area purchasers, including those moving from other parts of California or from other states entirely. For grandparents making a long-distance move of 100 miles or more, the combination of community feel, home equity opportunity, and relative affordability makes Gilroy real estate worth a serious look.
Can you see how the numbers might actually work in your favor here, depending on where you are moving from?
What Are Grandparents Moving This Far Actually Giving Up, and What Are They Gaining?
This is the question worth sitting with. If you have spent 20 or 30 years building equity in a home elsewhere, you may be in a stronger position than you think. Many grandparents moving from higher-cost metros are discovering that the equity from a sale can cover a significant portion, or all, of a purchase in the Gilroy area, sometimes with cash left over.
That kind of move does not just close the distance between you and your grandchildren. It can also simplify your financial picture heading into the next chapter. Lower carrying costs, a stable monthly payment, and the ability to stop renting or right-size from a larger home can all work together in ways that are worth running through with a broker who knows the local market.
What happens if nothing changes? If you stay where you are for the next three to five years, watching those grandkids grow up on a screen instead of in your kitchen, where does that leave you, and what does that time cost you in ways that money cannot fix?
A Pattern Worth Noticing for Grandparents Moving to Be Near Their Grandkids
The data is not subtle. When the National Association of Realtors asked people in the 55-to-74 age group why they moved, proximity to loved ones came back as the top answer. Not once. Consistently. This is not a trend. It is a decision pattern that has been building for years and accelerated sharply after the pandemic.
Grandparents moving more than 100 miles are not doing it impulsively. They are doing it because something finally outweighed the inertia of staying. For most, it was a very specific image: their grandchildren growing up, and the window for those daily moments getting smaller every year.
If you are a grandparent and that image landed somewhere real for you just now, that is worth paying attention to.
Based on what families are telling us, the decision to move closer to grandchildren often comes down to one moment of clarity. Not a spreadsheet. Not a market report. A moment where the cost of waiting becomes more obvious than the cost of moving.
If you are somewhere near that moment, a straightforward conversation might be all it takes to see whether the numbers actually support the move you have been thinking about. Not a pitch. Not pressure. Just a clear look at where you are and what is possible from here.
Timothy Alston, Broker (DRE# 01328224), Aegis Luxury Real Estate, is available to talk through what a move to the Gilroy area could realistically look like for your situation. Would it make sense to have that conversation? Reach out at (408) 207-4593.
Schools in Gilroy
Aegis School Excellence Index · 2024-25 performance data
Serving districts: Gilroy Unified SD (K-12). School district boundaries can change; please verify current enrollment boundaries and program offerings directly with the school district.
Consider This
If you could own a newer-construction home in Milpitas at a fraction of Cupertino prices, would you look? Compare Milpitas new construction options and see the value difference.
Want to talk through your Gilroy options? 15-minute strategy call, no obligation.
Schedule a Call →Gilroy homes with solar panels are especially attractive to buyers because the city’s inland climate means higher cooling costs in summer.
Browse Gilroy homes for sale
Free Download
Get the Complete Gilroy Market Report
Monthly data, neighborhood breakdowns, price trends, and insider analysis delivered to your inbox.
Send Me the Report →Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about Gilroy?
I’ve helped hundreds of families buy and sell in Gilroy. Happy to share what I’m seeing in your specific neighborhood.
Free Home Valuation
What’s Your Gilroy Home Worth?
Get an instant estimate powered by RealScout.
Get My Gilroy Home Value →
Looking for homes in Gilroy?
Get personalized listing alerts delivered to your inbox. Be the first to know about new homes that match your criteria in Gilroy.
Get Gilroy Listing Alerts →Community Resources
Gilroy Essential Services
Official Sources
Ready to find your perfect home in Gilroy?
Browse all available Gilroy listings, explore neighborhood guides, and get personalized market insights.
Search Gilroy Homes →Timothy Alston
Broker · DRE# 01328224
Aegis Luxury Real Estate
Harvard Business School Online, Certified Master Negotiation
23+ Years Silicon Valley Real Estate Experience
Retired Military Veteran
Copyright © 2026 MLSListings Inc. All rights reserved.
The data relating to real estate for sale on this display comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the MLSListings™ MLS system. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Aegis Luxury Real Estate are marked with the Internet Data Exchange icon and detailed information about them includes the names of the listing brokers and listing agents.
Based on information from the MLSListings MLS as of June 10, 2026. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.
These statistics are generated using information from the MLSListings Inc. multiple listing service, but have not been verified and are not guaranteed. MLSListings Inc. disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of these statistics. This information should not be relied upon for real estate transaction decisions.
Data updated every 15 minutes. Visit www.MLSListings.com for more information.
Information provided is for general informational purposes only. Equal Housing Opportunity. If you are currently working with a real estate agent, this is not intended as a solicitation.
Aegis Luxury Real Estate · Timothy Alston, Broker, DRE# 01328224 · 10080 N. Wolfe Rd Ste SW3-200, Cupertino CA 95014 · (408) 207-4593
Last updated: July 18, 2026 | Data reflects July 2026 MLS statistics
