Planning Your 2026 Move: How Smart Silicon Valley Homeowners Use Winter Strategically

Most people in Santa Clara County think about real estate in terms of spring and summer.

More homes hit the market. There are more open houses. Your social feeds fill up with “Just Listed” and “Just Sold” posts. It feels like everything happens in those busy months.

Behind the scenes, though, the most successful moves in places like San Jose, Saratoga, Cupertino and Cambrian often start much earlier.

If you are a homeowner or future buyer in Silicon Valley and you even suspect that a move might be on your horizon in 2026, the winter months are your opportunity to quietly get ready. The work you do now can mean less stress, better timing and stronger results when the market heats up.

Here is how smart buyers and sellers use this season to their advantage.

1. Start with your “why,” not with a price

The first thing I ask is not “What do you think your home is worth” but “What is driving this move.”

For many Silicon Valley homeowners, the real story sounds like:

• Our family has outgrown the house

• The commute is wearing us down

• My parents are struggling to manage their home and we need a plan

• We are ready to leave California, but the logistics feel overwhelming

Your “why” will shape everything that follows, including:

• Whether you should list in early spring, late summer or even hold off

• How aggressive your pricing and prep strategy should be

• Whether you prioritize top dollar, speed, convenience or a blend of all three

• Which tradeoffs you are willing to make and which are non negotiable

Winter is a perfect time to have an honest conversation about your “why” so that when the spring market arrives you are not reacting to headlines. You are following a plan that actually fits your life.

2. Get clear on your numbers before the rush

Emotions drive the decision to move. Numbers determine how you can move.

Before the spring real estate season arrives in the South Bay, it helps to understand:

• Your likely equity range if you sold in today’s market

• What price point makes sense if you buy again in Silicon Valley

• How your monthly payment would change if you upsized, downsized or relocated

• What your purchasing power looks like in another market if you are leaving California

That usually means a mix of:

• A detailed market analysis on your current home, based on real recent sales

• A conversation with a trusted lender about what is comfortable, not just what you qualify for

• A comparison of “sell then buy” versus “buy then sell” so you are not guessing under pressure

Doing this work now gives you the one thing buyers and sellers crave once the market gets busy: confidence in your own numbers.

3. Use winter for the unglamorous prep that buyers notice

By the time a home hits the MLS in spring, buyers in areas like Cambrian, West San Jose and Saratoga have already seen dozens of polished listings. The properties that stand out have one thing in common. The owners started early.

Winter is ideal for:

• Decluttering closets, garage and storage

• Donating or selling items you know you will not move with you

• Tackling minor repairs you have been putting off

• Servicing systems like the roof, gutters, HVAC and water heater

• Talking through which cosmetic updates actually pay off in your price bracket

You do not need to turn your home into a construction zone. The goal is to chip away at the list in manageable pieces so you are not overwhelmed two weeks before photos.

For many of my sellers, I create a custom pre listing roadmap that breaks this into phases. We coordinate timing with my stagers, cleaners and vendors so you are not doing it alone. By the time we reach listing week, most of the heavy lifting is complete and the home can truly shine.

4. Focus on the local Silicon Valley market, not national noise

If you live in the Bay Area, you are constantly bombarded with mixed messages about real estate.

Rates are up, rates are down. Prices are cooling, prices just hit another high. Multiple offers are back, or maybe they are not. It is a lot to sort through.

Instead of trying to decode every headline, focus on:

• What is happening in your specific city or neighborhood

• Activity and pricing in your particular price band

• On the ground behavior, such as how many offers are coming in on well prepared homes like yours

For example, the dynamics for a Cambrian single family home at a certain price point can look very different from a luxury property in Saratoga, even in the same month. A condo in Santa Clara or a townhome in Cupertino will follow its own pattern.

During winter, I review local data and real time activity with my clients. When we choose a launch window, it is based on actual conditions in the Silicon Valley real estate market, not fear, rumors or wishful thinking.

5. Design your 2026 game plan

Once you have clarified your “why,” reviewed your numbers, started your prep and looked at the local market, it is time to pull everything together into a simple plan.

For sellers, that might include:

• Targeting a specific month or even week to hit the market

• Laying out dates for photos, staging, cleaners and handyman work

• Deciding whether you will buy first, sell first or work with creative financing or bridge options

• Talking through pets, kids, work schedules and how to make showings as easy as possible

For buyers, it might look like:

• Tightening your pre approval and documentation

• Narrowing down your target areas, for example, “Saratoga schools but more open to West San Jose or Cambrian”

• Defining what is truly non negotiable versus what is nice to have

• Planning how you will balance work, family and house hunting when the right home appears

Every plan is different, but one pattern is consistent. The clients who feel calm and in control during spring and summer tend to be the ones who started their planning in the quieter months.

Thinking about a move in 2026

If you are a homeowner or future buyer in Silicon Valley and 2026 might be your year to move, winter is a smart time to quietly get ready.

Here is how I can help:

• A brief, no pressure strategy call to talk through your timeline and “why”

• A custom 2026 Move Game Plan for your situation, including timing, prep and options

• Introductions to trusted lending partners and, if you are relocating, to vetted agents in your next city or state

You do not need to be ready to list your home or write an offer tomorrow. This is about getting clear, prepared and in a strong position long before the market gets noisy again.

If you would like a personalized 2026 Move Game Plan for your situation, you can reach out directly. I am here as a resource, whether you are in information-gathering mode or ready to start taking steps.

If you also enjoy learning at your own pace, and you are active on LinkedIn, you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Life Happens, Homes Change, where I share practical insight for Bay Area professionals planning their next move. Subscribe here: Subscribe on LinkedIn

April Tavares
Realtor®, GRI | Iniguez & Tavares Team at Keller Williams Thrive
Concierge Level Real Estate Service Across Silicon Valley
Email: april@apriltavares.com
Website: IniguezAndTavaresTeam.com
CA DRE #01742179