The Prescott Valley house you didn’t buy in 1990
A $300,000 house at 1990’s average index level, tracked to 2026 Q2.
The metro index went from 76.1 (the 1990 average) to 438.0 in 2026 Q2, 5.8× its 1990 level. That makes a $300,000 purchase about $1.73M today.
With 20% down ($60,000) and a 30-year loan at 1990’s average rate of 10.13%, today’s equity is about $1.73M, 29× the down payment. The loan would be paid off by now, so the equity equals the house’s value.
The same $60,000 down payment, put in an S&P 500 index fund instead (the TSP C Fund, dividends reinvested), was worth $2.64M at the end of August 2026, the latest month the fund has reported at tsp.gov.
Run your own numbers for 1990 →
House figures are estimates for the whole metro market, from the FHFA index. Not financial advice.
FAQ
What is a 1990 Prescott Valley house worth today?
About $1.73M for a $300,000 house, a 5.8× market multiple to 2026 Q2 by the FHFA all-transactions index for Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ.
Why use an index instead of listings?
The FHFA index is built from repeat transactions on the same homes, so it controls for the mix of what happens to be for sale.
Is this investment advice?
No. This is historical arithmetic for education and entertainment.