A guide for AI tech workers, or anyone with company equity, looking to cash in and buy a home in San Francisco.
If you work in AI or tech in San Francisco, you might know the feeling. Your net worth looks impressive on paper, but most of it is tied up in company equity. You want to buy a home, but the down payment hurdle is significant. What about selling your private/pre-IPO company shares on the secondary markets?
Let’s talk about what’s happening in the San Francisco real estate market now, how secondary markets fit in, and what to consider if you’re thinking about making the leap from equity to homeownership.
San Francisco’s real estate market is active, but not uniform.
Single-family homes are still competitive, with limited inventory and strong demand. Bidding wars aren’t rare, especially in established neighborhoods. If you’re set on a house in Noe Valley or Bernal Heights, expect competition.
Condos, though, are a different story. Urban condo prices—especially in SoMa, South Beach, and downtown—haven’t fully bounced back from the pandemic. Remote work and the initial exodus out of the city left a mark. But things are shifting. Companies are calling people back to the office, and workers are returning. Recent data shows in-office work is on the rise again. If you ever wished you’d bought a condo in 2015, this is the closest the market has come to a reset in years.
San Francisco Condo Median Prices (3-month rolling average)
It’s worth noting: not every condo market in San Francisco is moving in lockstep. Urban areas like SoMa have seen prices drop, while more residential neighborhoods—think Noe Valley—have held steady or even climbed. The gap between these markets is wider than it’s been in a long time.
San Francisco Condo Median Price Comparison (3-month rolling average)
If you want a condo in an energetic, urban neighborhood, you’ll likely find more options and less competition. If you want a single-family home or a condo in a more suburban area, be prepared for a faster pace and higher prices.
We're happy to help if you have any questions, and feel free to explore more San Francisco neighborhoods to get a sense of what’s out there.
If you’re holding equity in a private AI company—OpenAI, Anthropic, or one of the many others—secondary markets are likely your best shot at turning that paper wealth into a down payment. This is an increasingly common play. More companies are offering regular tender offers, and platforms for private stock sales are growing.
A few things to keep in mind:
The process is not always straightforward, but it can be the difference between renting and owning.
The current SF real estate market isn’t without its challenges. Mortgage rates are still elevated, and new tariffs and immigration policies will likely push construction costs higher. There's tons of economic uncertainty. Yet since late 2023, stock gains (especially in tech) have played a big role in driving demand for San Francisco real estate. If you have the means and motivation to buy, you are not alone. There are a lot of folks in your shoes.
Simultaneously, the city’s housing market is resilient and rebounding. Real estate sales and prices are rising this spring, consistently regaining ground lost since 2022 introduced the higher-rate environment. Demand for well-located homes remains strong. If you’re looking for a value play, urban condos are worth a close look. If you want long-term stability, single-family homes and condos in established neighborhoods are still solid bets.
Our San Francisco real estate case studies show how buyers have made both strategies work.
Danielle was recently quoted in Business Insider about the unique approach AI professionals are taking in today's market. As she shared with the publication, these buyers are "data-driven and decisive" in ways we haven't seen before. Many clients now model payments, taxes, and micro-market evaluations with large language models before they even tour properties.
This preparation shows in their approach to equity sales too. Rather than rushing into purchases, AI buyers are strategically timing their secondary market sales with their homebuying plans. They understand both the opportunities and risks in front of them.
As Danielle noted in the article, the single-family home market is "on fire" and condos are "perking up," though we haven't reached a complete pre-COVID recovery yet. For AI professionals with equity to deploy, this creates interesting timing considerations.
The key insight from working with these San Francisco home buyers is that they're being thoughtful about major financial decisions. They've learned from past tech cycles and are making strategic moves rather than speculative ones.
Read more about current market dynamics and Danielle's insights in the complete Business Insider article. (soft paywall)
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. What's your personal situation and long-term goal? If owning a home in San Francisco is important to you and you have equity you can access, there are good reasons to act now. If it doesn't make sense now, there will always be opportunities down the line. We'd love to help you make the most of them.
If you want to talk through your options, or just get a sense of what’s possible, reach out any time. At Danielle Lazier Vivre Real Estate, we are a boutique collective of top San Francisco Realtors and negotiation specialists with deep experience helping tech and other professionals turn equity into homeownership. You can also sign up for our newsletter for regular updates—no spam or games.
Buying a home in San Francisco is a big move. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help. Contact us today. We look forward to speaking with you.
Looking for a trusted team to help you buy a home in SF or sell your San Francisco home in the neighborhood? Reach out to us today. As top SF Realtors since 2002, we'd love to help.
