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California’s Silicon Valley is known for being a hub of technology and innovation, and home to many well-known companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Adobe.
Silicon Valley also has one of the most unique—and most competitive—real estate markets of any city or metropolitan area in the world.
In this guide, we examine past and current real estate market trends to determine the future of Silicon Valley real estate.
Silicon Valley isn’t a city or town, but a loosely defined region in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. It’s most closely associated with Santa Clara County, but also includes parts of San Mateo.
While there’s no official boundary, cities like Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Cupertino, Santa Clara, and San Jose are all considered to be part of the Valley.
The term “Silicon Valley” was actually coined in the 1970s by journalist Don Hoefler, who wrote a series of articles that included that name. The nickname was inspired by the large number of semiconductor companies in the area that manufactured silicon-based computer chips.
Today, California’s Silicon Valley region has come to reflect the area’s dominance in the tech industry, along with its entrepreneurial spirit. This has also fueled a bustling tech industry real estate market.
The Silicon Valley real estate market differs from most other parts of the U.S. in some pretty important ways.
Most local residents already know about these distinctions. But for those who are relocating from elsewhere, the following characteristics might come as a surprise.
California’s Silicon Valley is home to some of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. And we’ll explore the reasons for this in a moment.
In early 2025, the median home value for this area ranged from $1.4 million (in San Jose, Santa Clara, and other cities) to a whopping $3.4 million (in Palo Alto).
These figures far exceed the statewide median home price for California and are miles above the national average.
The Silicon Valley real estate market also has some of the lowest levels of supply, when measured by the number of homes for sale at any given time.
Inventory levels in this market tend to fluctuate over time. Overall, however, Silicon Valley has suffered from a chronic shortage of property listings for many years.
At any given time, the number of home buyers in the Silicon Valley housing market in 2025-2026 greatly surpasses the number of properties available. This trend leads to characteristic #3…
Home buyers planning to buy a home in Silicon Valley during 2025 or beyond should be prepared for the real estate equivalent of a footrace.
According to a January 2025 report from the state’s Realtor association, homes listed for sale in Santa Clara County spent a median of just 11 days on the market. That was the lowest “median days on market” measurement out of all 58 California counties.
Translation: Silicon Valley has the most fast-paced and competitive housing market in California.
Over the past couple of years, anywhere from 50% to 70% of homes sold within Santa Clara County ended up selling for more than the original list price. That’s a much higher percentage than most counties and metro areas across the U.S.
This is a direct result of the supply-and-demand imbalance that often plagues the Silicon Valley real estate market. With such a severe shortage of properties, home buyers are frequently forced to compete with multiple competing offers on the same house.
Often, these offers exceed the actual list price.
Silicon Valley home buyers frequently waive their contract contingencies as well, in an effort to make their offers more attractive. For instance, they might choose to skip the home inspection or appraisal contingency, presenting a “cleaner” offer to the seller.
Home buyers have to use such strategies just to be competitive. That’s the current state of the Silicon Valley real estate market, and it will likely persist for the foreseeable future.
The future of the Silicon Valley real estate market (through 2025 and into 2026) will probably bring more of the California real estate trends mentioned above.
While this market tends to experience some volatility at times, certain factors tend to remain the same.
As you can see, Silicon Valley is not your typical real estate market. It stands out in a variety of ways, with high competition and high Silicon Valley home prices topping the list. Understanding Silicon Valley real estate market predictions can help you make a more informed decision and better prepare you for the home buying process.
Silicon Valley’s real estate market is one of the most competitive in the country. High demand, rapid appreciation, and multiple-offer scenarios make buying and selling a home challenging. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, strategic planning and informed decision-making are key to success.
An experienced local agent can provide insight into upcoming listings and guide you through complex bidding wars.
Networking and working with a knowledgeable real estate agent can help you find homes before they hit the market.
Professional staging and high-quality listing photos can increase buyer interest and potentially drive up the sale price.
Set a deadline for offers and evaluate not just the highest bid, but also terms like contingencies and financing strength.
Navigating Silicon Valley’s market requires strategic planning, market knowledge, and expert guidance. With the right approach, both buyers and sellers can achieve success.
Home buyers who want to purchase a home in Santa Clara County can benefit from arranging their financing in advance. For those who rely on mortgage financing, a pre-approval from a lender is practically a necessity in this market.
Sellers don’t just want to know how much you’re willing to pay for the home. They also want to know that you have your financing squared away, including a pre-approval letter.
And this is where we can help.
If you’re looking for financing in Silicon Valley, we can help. Sammamish Mortgage serves all of California and offers a wide range of home loan options. This includes jumbo mortgages, which are common in high-priced markets like Silicon Valley. Visit our website to get an instant rate quote or contact us if you would like to explore your financing options.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.