The Hidden Truth About Home Equity Most Cupertino Sellers Miss
Timothy Alston | Broker
Aegis Luxury Real Estate · DRE# 01328224
Published
November 05, 2025
Where innovation meets community
Even with headlines about cooling prices, most homeowners in Cupertino are still sitting on near-record levels of home equity built during the 2020 to 2021 surge. Nationwide data shows prices have risen roughly 45% since March 2020, and even in the markets seeing the steepest recent declines, the average drop is only about 4%. Years of appreciation still puts most long-term owners significantly ahead.
You know how it is when a headline catches your eye and suddenly you are not so sure about a decision you felt confident about just a week ago? Maybe you saw something about prices softening, or a friend mentioned that the market is “cooling off,” and now you are second-guessing what your home is actually worth today. A lot of homeowners are sitting with that same quiet unease right now.
But here is the part most people have not stopped to think about yet: a slowdown in price growth is not the same thing as losing ground. Those are two very different things. So before you let a headline reshape your thinking, it might be worth asking yourself, how much do you actually know about where your equity stands today?
What Does Your Housing Situation Actually Look Like Right Now?
Have you ever stopped to think about what has happened to your home’s value over the last five years? Not just recently, but the full picture? Because context matters here, and the full picture is a lot more encouraging than most people realize.
Nationally, home prices are up roughly 45% since March of 2020, according to data from Zillow. That was a historic run, driven by record-low inventory and intense buyer demand. Prices and home equity moved together through all of it. When values surged, equity surged. And the equity that built up during those years did not simply vanish when the pace of growth slowed down.
In most markets, prices are still rising, just at a more moderate pace. Even in the metros seeing the most notable price softening, the average decline is only around 4%. Can you see how that math works? A 4% dip against a 45% five-year gain still puts most homeowners dramatically ahead of where they were before the pandemic.
Why Home Equity Still Puts Long-Term Owners in a Strong Position
Data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency confirms that every single state in the country has seen home prices increase over the past five years. Every state. That means homeowners across the board are carrying significantly more home equity today than they were in 2019, even accounting for any recent softening.
What does that mean for someone who has owned their home for several years in Cupertino homes for sale listings have reflected the same trend that played out nationally: sharp appreciation followed by a more measured pace. Cupertino real estate has historically tracked closely with Silicon Valley’s broader property values, and the equity picture here reflects years of compounding gains.
Jake Krimmel, Senior Economist at Realtor.com, put it plainly: recent small declines in home equity “are not cause for concern,” and large nationwide price drops remain “extremely unlikely in the near term.” The market is finding its balance after a period of unsustainable growth. That is not a warning sign. It is actually a healthy signal.
Have You Thought About What Doing Nothing Is Costing You?
Here is a question worth sitting with. If you have been waiting on the sidelines because you were not sure whether this was the right time, what has that waiting actually cost you? Not in a dramatic sense, but practically. What opportunities have passed? What options have stayed closed?
Equity still sitting in a home you are not sure you want to stay in is equity that is not working for you yet. It could fund a move up to a larger home. It could support a downsizing that frees up cash and reduces your carrying costs. It could open a door you did not think was open. The question is not just how much equity you have. The better question is, what could that equity actually do for your next chapter?
Homes in Cupertino that sold over the past few years have consistently demonstrated that buyers in this market are paying for proximity to major tech employers, top-rated schools, and walkable neighborhoods. Those fundamentals have not changed. The demand drivers that built your equity still puts pressure on the market today.
What Would Change If You Knew Your Real Number?
A lot of homeowners are surprised when they see what their home is actually worth right now. Not in a vague, “market is good” way, but in a real, specific dollar figure that changes how they think about their options. Does that make sense as a starting point?
The average gap between what homeowners think they have in equity and what they actually have is significant. And that gap matters, because decisions made on incomplete information tend to be decisions people regret. You do not have to guess. The number is knowable, and knowing it costs you nothing.
Cupertino has seen average home values hold at levels that still puts most owners in an extraordinary position relative to what they paid. Whether you bought three years ago or ten years ago, the compounding effect of appreciation during that window is real and it is still mostly intact.
The Next Step Is a Conversation, Not a Commitment
Do you get the sense that this might be worth exploring further? Not because anyone is pushing you toward a sale, but because understanding where you stand is just good information to have. What would it mean for your planning if you knew your equity number with confidence?
Timothy Alston, licensed Broker at Aegis Luxury Real Estate (DRE# 01328224), works with homeowners in and around Cupertino to get a clear, honest read on what their home is worth and what their options actually look like. No pressure. No pitch. Just a straightforward conversation about where you are and where you want to go.
If that sounds like something worth doing, reach out at (408) 207-4593. The next step is yours to take whenever it makes sense for you.
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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 11, 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.
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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 05, 2026 | Data reflects July 2026 MLS statistics
