A growing share of my clients are selling longtime Silicon Valley homes for the same reason: they want to move closer to the grandchildren. Their adult children were priced out years ago and are raising families in Roseville, Reno, Boise, Scottsdale, or across the country, and holidays and birthdays have turned into airport trips. Moving closer is one of the most meaningful decisions an older adult can make, and one of the most complicated. It touches property taxes, income taxes, health insurance, the sale of the family home, and the relationship with the children themselves. This guide covers all of it from the Silicon Valley side, with real numbers on what your equity buys in the places people are moving.
Key Takeaways
Summary: Moving from Silicon Valley to be near family can free up a lot of equity, since home prices here are often two to three times those in the places retirees move to. Prop 19, taxes after leaving California, Medicare plan changes, and honest talks with your children about caregiving all belong in the plan.
From my practice: One of my sellers was moving out of the country within a week of hiring me. We had a mobile notary at the house, between the movers, to sign a power of attorney, and the listing was live within days. She was abroad for almost the whole sale, and a single in-person signing during a short visit handled everything else, with the sale closing on the original contract date.
Planning a move like this is a big part of my work as a Silicon Valley senior real estate specialist, including referrals to trusted agents in the state you’re moving to.
What Your Silicon Valley Equity Buys
Here is how the Santa Clara County median compares with popular destinations for families I work with. These are recent median sale prices from the sources noted, and every city has a wide range around its median.
| Area | Recent median sale price | Source and period |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, single-family | $1,850,000 | Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS, August 2026 |
| Roseville, CA | About $646,000 | Redfin, August 2026 |
| Sacramento, CA | About $585,000 | Redfin data, mid-2026 |
| Reno, NV, single-family | $668,500 | Northern Nevada Regional MLS, July 2026 |
| Boise, ID | About $545,000 | Redfin, three months through August 2026 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | About $907,000 | Redfin, August 2026 |
A couple selling a $1,850,000 Silicon Valley home could buy a median Roseville or Reno home and still have a large amount of equity left, even after selling costs and capital gains tax. That freed-up money is often what funds the rest of retirement and future care. I run the full math in how much money downsizing frees up.
Staying in California vs. Moving Out of State
| Another California county | Another state | |
|---|---|---|
| Property tax on the new home | Prop 19 can carry over your assessed value if 55 or older | That state’s rules, which vary widely |
| State income tax on retirement income | California rates continue | New state’s rules. Several states have no income tax. |
| Tax on the sale of your California home | California | Still California, even after you move |
| Medicare Advantage and Part D | May need a new plan if outside your plan’s area | New plan required |
| Medi-Cal | Continues | Doesn’t transfer. The new state’s Medicaid program applies. |
Within California, the Prop 19 base-year transfer is often worth thousands of dollars a year. See how Prop 19 goes with you to another county. For out-of-state moves, see taxes when you sell and leave California and Medicare when you move.
Choosing Where to Move Near the Grandkids
“Near the kids” can mean ten minutes or an hour, and it matters. In my experience the moves that work best put the parent close enough for an easy weeknight dinner, but in their own home with their own routines and community. Things to weigh:
- Distance to each child’s home, not just the city.
- Single-level living or the ability to adapt the home. See single-level homes.
- Hospitals, specialists, and whether your doctors will be in your new insurance network.
- A 55-plus community or neighborhood where you can build your own friendships.
- Climate, including summer heat and wildfire risk, which Redfin flags as significant in several popular destinations.
- What happens if the children relocate for work, which happens more often than families expect.
A real example: One couple I worked with wanted to cash out of a mountain home one of them had lived in for about 62 years and start over somewhere less expensive. They landed in Washington, and I referred them to a local agent there. Before they left, I paid for a dump run, labor and a one-way trailer so they could get their belongings north. Choosing where to go is only part of it, and having someone on the ground at both ends is what makes the move doable.
The Conversation With Your Children
Before choosing a house, have an honest conversation. How often do you expect to see each other? Will you help with childcare, and how much? If your health changes, what role do the children expect to play, and what do you want them to play? Some families decide the parent will move in with them or into an ADU on their property. That has its own considerations, which I cover in moving in with adult children or into an ADU on their lot.
The Sequence I Recommend
- Visit the destination for an extended stay, ideally in the hardest season.
- Meet with a CPA about taxes, and review Medicare options for the new area.
- Get preapproved and choose the new home first if possible, so you move once. See how to buy before you sell.
- Move, then clear and prepare the Silicon Valley home. See my guide to getting rid of a lifetime of stuff before selling a Silicon Valley home.
- List and sell the Silicon Valley home vacant and staged.
I handle the Silicon Valley sale and connect clients with trusted agents in the destination area, and I coordinate the timing so the two transactions fit together.
Sources and Further Reading
- IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home
- California State Board of Equalization: Proposition 19
- Medicare.gov
Free 3-minute decision check
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The Moving Near Family Library
- Moving to another California county: how Prop 19 goes with you
- Taxes when you sell your home and leave California
- Medicare and health coverage when you move
- Moving in with adult children or into an ADU on their lot
- How to buy before you sell
- How much money downsizing frees up
Frequently Asked Questions
How much house can I buy near my kids after selling in Silicon Valley?
Often a great deal. The Santa Clara County single-family median was $1,850,000 in August 2026, compared with recent medians of about $646,000 in Roseville, $668,500 in Reno, and about $545,000 in Boise.
Can I keep my Prop 13 tax base if I move near my kids in California?
If you’re 55 or older, Prop 19 lets you transfer your assessed value to a replacement home in any California county within two years, subject to value limits.
Do I pay California tax on my home sale if I move out of state?
Yes. California generally taxes gain on the sale of California real estate even if you’re no longer a resident when it sells, though the home sale exclusion may still apply.
What happens to my Medicare Advantage plan if I move?
If you move out of your plan’s service area, you generally get a special enrollment period to choose a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan in your new area.
Should I buy near my kids before selling my Silicon Valley home?
Buying first often means moving only once and selling a vacant, staged home, which can improve the sale. Financing options include HELOCs and bridge loans.
Free Downsizing Strategy Call
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Most downsizing regrets come from doing things in the wrong order. In 30 minutes, we’ll talk through what your home may be worth, whether to buy or sell first, how Prop 19 could affect your property taxes, what the house actually needs before listing, and a realistic timeline for your move—so the process feels manageable, not overwhelming.
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