Why California homeowners stay put longer than almost anywhere else

• California homeowners have the longest tenure in the nation, staying in their homes longer than the U.S. average of 12 years.
• Tax laws like Proposition 13 incentivize Californians to remain in their homes by locking in low property tax rates.
• This long tenure contributes to a limited housing supply and higher prices, making it difficult for first-time buyers.
• Some former residents who sold their homes find it unaffordable to move back to the state due to high costs.

Richard and Mary Barrett held on to their Southern California home for 22 years before recently selling and moving out of state. 

“We waited until our house reached peak value, sold it, then hightailed it to Utah,” said Richard Barrett, a former resident of Los Angeles County. “Goodbye, high taxes and gas prices.”

Richard’s story reflects recent data from Redfin Real Estate, which revealed homeowner tenure is the longest in California, with people in Los Angeles typically hanging on to a house for 20 years and about 19 years in San Jose. 

In San Francisco, homeowners keep their homes for roughly 16.5 years, while people in San Diego hang on to their dwellings for 14.5 years. In Riverside, residents keep their houses for 12.4 years, all longer than the national average of 12 years, Redfin stated.

Why do California homeowners hang on to residences longer than national average?

Redfin concluded that California’s tax laws incentivize homeowners to stay in their homes for longer periods.

They explained that Proposition 13, adopted in 1978, locks homeowners into low property taxes, discouraging them from moving to a higher-tax area. 

There have been tax amendments in recent years, like Proposition 19, designed to incentivize longtime homeowners to move. But their impact has been limited. 

How are potential homeowners in California affected?

Lifelong low property taxes may keep bills low for homeowners; however, they can limit the supply of homes for sale and push up prices, making it tougher for first-time buyers to break into the market, Redfin said.

It can also be a hindrance for California residents moving across state, or those moving out and wanting to return to the Golden State to buy a home.

People hanging on to their homes can also limit inventory while pushing up prices. 

Apartment renter Mark Martin, 33, who earns a salary in the $80,000 per year range, said “a big down payment and high monthly mortgage” has priced him out of buying his first home.

“I’m just below the threshold of making enough for a down payment on a $400,000 home,” Martin said. “And do I really want a large home, with a monthly payment over $3,000?”

Can people afford to move back to California?

Last year, Mike and Miryam Hester moved from the High Desert of San Bernardino County to Oklahoma, after Mike purchased his home 29 years ago. 

“We wouldn't be able to afford to move back,” Miryam said. “I couldn't find work for over a year. That is one of the reasons we moved. We were also ready for a change and to be able to afford a home and a lower cost of living.”

Steve and Kathie Harbottle, who lived in their San Bernardino County home for 20 years before moving to Tennessee in 2024, said they would never even think about moving back to California. 

“But if we did move back to our old neighborhood, the financial obstacle would be the price for sure,” Kathie Harbottle said. “Between county taxes and all of the addenda they charge you per year, and monthly rent for the price you’d have to pay, we could not afford it.”

What caused the tenure rise in California?

Homeowner tenure nationally peaked at 13.4 years in 2020, then gradually declined each year until 2024, Redfin said.

The declines were driven by the COVID-19 pandemic-driven homebuying and selling frenzy, when record-low mortgage rates and remote work motivated many Americans to move. 

Tenure crept up from 11.8 years in 2024 to 12 years in 2025 as home sales slowed due to high housing costs.

In 2005, the typical homeowner didn’t move for 6.5 years before selling. Over the next decade-plus, people stayed in their homes longer as the American population grew older. 

To read the full Redfin report, visit redfin.com.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz