Is the Move-Up Buyer Back?

For the past couple of years, most people who moved did so because they had to — a new job, a growing family, downsizing after the kids left home. But lately, I’m seeing a shift: families are moving because they want to. The move-up buyer is back.

So why now, even with rates higher than they’ve been in years? Many homeowners are realizing that life won’t wait for the “perfect” number. Staying put often means living in a house that no longer fits, missing out on equity growth, or hoping that prices will magically get lower.

Here’s the truth: most homeowners are sitting on a metric ton of equity right now. But because they’re so attached to their 3.75% mortgage, they don’t stop to think about how powerful that equity really is. You can use it to:

• Pay down your new mortgage and keep payments affordable
• Pay off debt or consolidate it into one lower monthly payment
• Give yourself financial breathing room in your next chapter

A quick story: Just last month I worked with a family who had a 3.5% mortgage. They told me, “We can’t give that up.” But they had over $200,000 in equity. Instead of rolling all of it into their new house, they used part of it to pay off student loans and credit cards, and the rest to buy down the mortgage on their dream home. Yes, their rate is higher now — but their monthly payments feel about the same, and their overall financial picture is stronger. Plus, they finally got that second bathroom. With two kids, there was always a line — and if you’ve ever potty trained a toddler, you know how stressful that can be!

Mini Math Lesson: How to Find Your Equity

1. Find your home’s current value. (Hint: you can do that instantly right here)
2. Subtract what you still owe on your mortgage.

Example:

• Home value = $450,000
• Mortgage balance = $250,000
• Equity = $200,000

That’s real money you can use to make your next move possible.

What could you do with your equity? Would it pay off lingering debt? Buy you the bigger kitchen, the second bathroom, or the screened porch you’ve been dreaming about?

👉🏻 Find out your instant home value here: www.sellingsavannahhomes.com/homevalue