How much equity do I actually have?
Most Southern Utah homeowners underestimate their equity by 20 to 40 percent because they anchor to what they paid, not what the home is worth today. Plug in your numbers and see where you really stand.
Your numbers
Value & Debt
Not sure? Get a real valuation in 4 minutes.
What you paid when you bought the home.
Use your latest statement, not just principal balance.
Other Debt (optional)
Tax liens, mechanic's liens, judgments.
Numbers update automatically as you type.
Your estimated equity
$0
That is 0% of your home's estimated value.
Appreciation gained
$0
0% gain
Avg annual rate
0%
0 years owned
Enter your numbers to see how your appreciation compares to Southern Utah's long-term average.
See the full breakdown
Appreciation math
Cedar City
Born, raised, and listing here
Dual
Licensed agent and lender
Real Broker
Brokered by Real Broker LLC
500+
Local pages on MovingUtah.com
What's next
What you could do with this equity
Three paths most Southern Utah owners do not realize are on the table until we lay out the numbers.
Your equity number is only as good as the value behind it.
Online estimates miss by 8 to 12 percent on average in Southern Utah. That can be the difference between a comfortable move and one that comes up short. Get a real number from someone who actually sells in your neighborhood.
Get My Real Home ValueFour minutes. No pressure. No spam.
How the math works
Plain-English explanation
No jargon, no surprises. Here is exactly what this calculator does behind the scenes.
Total debt against the home
I add up your first mortgage payoff, any second mortgage or HELOC, and any other liens. That is the dollar amount that has to clear before you see a check.
Equity = value minus debt
Your estimated home value minus total debt is your equity. This is the headline number. It is not your walk-away check, that comes after commission and closing costs.
Appreciation in dollars and percent
Current value minus original purchase price equals appreciation. I show both the dollar amount and the total percent gain since you bought.
Annualized rate (CAGR)
Compound annual growth rate using ((value / price)^(1 / years) - 1) x 100. Southern Utah's long-term average is roughly 5 to 7 percent per year.
Real talk
Four equity mistakes I see in Cedar City and St. George
These cost real money. I am writing them down so you can avoid them before you make a move.
Trusting the Zestimate as the answer
Utah is a non-disclosure state. Sale prices are not part of the public record, which means automated valuation models have to estimate from limited data. Per Zillow's own published accuracy figures, the Zestimate's median error on off-market homes nationally is around 7 percent. In smaller Southern Utah submarkets where the model has fewer comps to chew on, that error widens. I have seen Zestimates miss by $50,000 to $90,000 on Cedar City homes. Treat the online number as a directional starting point, not a quote.
Confusing equity with walk-away cash
Equity is the math on this page: value minus debt. Walk-away cash is what hits your account after the real estate commission, owner's title insurance, escrow fees, recording, prorated taxes, HOA prorations, and any buyer concessions clear at closing. The gap is usually 7 to 9 percent of the sale price. A $200,000 equity number can easily turn into a $160,000 to $175,000 check. Run the seller net sheet before you assume the equity number is the move-up budget.
Letting the 3 percent mortgage rate calcify the plan
Rate-lock paralysis is real. A 3 percent loan is hard to give up, even when the home no longer fits. But the calculus is not "rate vs rate." It is "monthly payment vs monthly payment after I have moved my equity into a more appropriate house." For many Southern Utah owners with significant equity, putting 40 to 60 percent down on the next home keeps the new payment in striking distance of the old one. The rate-lock conversation is a math problem, not an emotional one.
Forgetting capital gains exposure on long-held primary homes
Most primary residence sellers in Utah owe nothing on the sale thanks to the IRS Section 121 exclusion: up to $250,000 of gain excluded if you file single, $500,000 if married filing jointly, provided you owned and lived in the home for at least 2 of the last 5 years. The trap is owners who bought in 2008 or 2012 and never thought about taxes. If your gain is approaching the exclusion ceiling, talk to a CPA before listing. The capital gains estimator can flag whether you are near the line.
Hyperlocal context
Equity by Southern Utah city
Each Southern Utah market moves a little differently. Here is what is happening in the six cities I list and lend in, with the local hooks I use when comparing your home to what is actually moving.
Cedar City
SUU enrollment, the Shakespeare Festival, Old Sorrel Ranch, and the new construction on the west side anchor demand. Long-hold owners north and east of the university often have strong equity positions but lean conservative on listing price.
Cedar City valueSt. George
Retiree migration, Dixie Tech, and Intermountain Health keep demand structural. Bloomington Hills and Little Valley owners who bought pre-2018 often hold $200K to $400K+ of paper equity that does not show up cleanly on automated estimates.
St. George valueWashington
Coral Canyon, Washington Fields, and the proximity-to-St. George trade. Faster appreciation in newer subdivisions, slower turn in older Washington proper neighborhoods. Equity stories vary block by block here more than anywhere else in the south.
Washington valueHurricane
Sand Hollow and Sky Mountain anchor a recreation buyer. STR-friendly pockets versus owner-occupied zones price very differently. Knowing which side of that line your home falls on can shift the value estimate by tens of thousands.
Hurricane valueIvins
Kayenta, Tuacahn proximity, and Snow Canyon views drive a premium that Zestimate does not weight correctly. Custom and semi-custom homes here are particularly mispriced by AVMs because the finish levels swing so widely between properties.
Ivins valueSanta Clara
Established neighborhoods, Snow Canyon adjacency, and a tighter listing supply than its neighbors. Lower turnover means thinner comp pools, which means automated estimates often run cold. The right manual valuation reveals real equity Zestimate misses.
Santa Clara valueLocal context is a starting point, not a quote. Specific neighborhood and condition matter more than city-level averages. The valuation questionnaire weights both.
From estimate to check
How your equity number actually evolves
Five stages between the number on this page and the wire to your bank. Knowing where you are helps you plan the move with the right budget, not a hopeful one.
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1
Estimate (this page)
Value you think the home is worth, minus what you owe. Useful for planning. Likely off by 8 to 12 percent on the value side. Closing costs not subtracted yet.
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2
Local valuation
A real valuation from someone who pulls comps from the actual MLS, walks the home (or reviews photos), and weights your specific finishes, view, and subdivision activity. This usually moves the estimate up, sometimes down. Your equity number gets sharper.
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3
List price and market test
Listed price is a strategic decision, not just the valuation number. Pricing strategy depends on inventory, time of year, and how aggressive you want to be on time-to-contract. The market is the final judge.
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4
Accepted offer and inspection round
Contract price minus negotiated repairs or credits. Most Southern Utah homes give back $0 to $5,000 here, sometimes more on older inventory. Appraisal can also nudge this number.
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5
Net to seller at closing
Final sale price, minus mortgage payoffs, minus closing costs (commission, title, escrow, recording, prorated taxes, HOA prorations, any concessions). This is the wire amount. Run the seller net sheet to get a tight estimate before you list.
Common questions
Equity, appreciation, and what to do with it
How do I calculate the equity in my home?
Equity is your home's current market value minus everything you owe against the property. Take the estimated value, subtract your first mortgage payoff, any second mortgage or HELOC payoff, and any other liens like a tax lien or mechanic's lien. The remainder is your estimated equity. Use the payoff amount from your latest mortgage statement, not just the principal balance, because the payoff includes accrued interest and any escrow shortage.
Why do most Southern Utah homeowners underestimate their equity?
Homeowners anchor to the price they paid, not the price the home would sell for today. Cedar City and St. George have seen significant appreciation over the last decade, and most online estimates (Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com) miss the actual sale price by 8 to 12 percent in Southern Utah. The combination of low value estimates and outdated mental anchoring causes most owners to underestimate their real equity position by 20 to 40 percent.
What is a healthy annual appreciation rate for a Southern Utah home?
Southern Utah's long-term average annual appreciation is roughly 5 to 7 percent per year, blending Cedar City, St. George, Washington, Hurricane, Ivins, and Santa Clara. Individual years can run much higher or much lower depending on rate cycles and supply. If your home's annualized rate is tracking 5 to 7 percent, you are on the area's long-term trend. If it is running below, the home's specific market or your estimated value may need a closer look.
Does this calculator show what I would actually walk away with at closing?
No. This calculator shows estimated equity, which is value minus debt. It does not subtract real estate commission, title insurance, escrow fees, prorated taxes, or buyer concessions. To estimate your net proceeds after closing costs, use the seller net sheet calculator. Your net to seller will be lower than your equity number, often by 7 to 9 percent of the sale price.
How accurate is my home's estimated value?
Online home value estimates are a starting point, not the answer. Algorithms miss by 8 to 12 percent on average in Southern Utah because they cannot see your finishes, your view, your floor plan, or your specific subdivision's current activity. For a real number, get a valuation from someone who actually sells in your neighborhood and can pull the comps that match your home.
Can I use my equity without selling my home?
Yes. Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and cash-out refinances both let you access equity while staying in the home. A HELOC works like a credit line against the home and is best for staged or uncertain expenses. A cash-out refinance replaces your existing mortgage with a new, larger one and gives you the difference in cash. Both have tradeoffs around interest rate, payment, and risk. Read up at DidYouKnow.Mortgage before deciding.
The fine print
Disclosures and disclaimers
I want you to use this tool with eyes open. Here is what this calculator is, what it is not, and the licensing context behind it.
A note on accuracy
This is an estimate based on the value you entered. Online estimates miss by 8 to 12 percent on average in Southern Utah. For an accurate equity picture, get a real valuation from someone who actually sells in your neighborhood.
What this calculator does not do
This calculator does not account for closing costs, agent commissions, title insurance, escrow fees, prorated taxes, HOA dues, buyer concessions, or capital gains tax. For closing costs and net proceeds, use the seller net sheet calculator. For tax exposure, use the capital gains estimator. For mortgage payment math, HELOCs, or refinance math, visit DidYouKnow.Mortgage.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice
The outputs here are estimates for planning purposes only. Real estate transactions, tax obligations, and financing decisions should be reviewed with a licensed CPA, attorney, or financial professional familiar with your full situation. I am happy to be one input among several.
About my dual license
I am a licensed REALTOR in Utah, brokered by Real Broker LLC, and a licensed mortgage loan originator. On any single transaction I can serve as the listing agent on your sale, or the lender on your next purchase, but not as the buyer's agent and the lender on the same purchase. The buyer's agent role on a move-up purchase is filled by a referred partner. This keeps roles clean and aligned with state and federal regulations.
Data and rate sources
Appreciation reference ranges are based on long-term Southern Utah residential trend data published by Washington County and Iron County assessor offices, the Iron County Board of REALTORS, the Washington County Board of REALTORS, and aggregated reporting from Redfin, Zillow Research, and Realtor.com. Specific market conditions vary by neighborhood and change month to month. Last updated loading.
Equal housing and fair housing
Equal housing opportunity. I serve buyers and sellers regardless of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or source of income.
Privacy
This calculator runs entirely in your browser. The numbers you enter are not transmitted to me, stored on a server, or shared with any third party. If you submit the valuation questionnaire, that is a separate opt-in flow with its own privacy practices noted on that page.
Ready for the real number?
I sell in your neighborhood. I know what just closed, what is sitting, and what your home would actually attract right now. Let me build you a real valuation.