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Oakland market pulse

Real public data for Oakland's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.

Metro prices

Past change, not a forecast.

Data table
Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, CA metro: FHFA house price index, 2016 Q2 to 2026 Q2
QuarterIndexChange since 2016 Q2
2016 Q2298.6—
2016 Q3302.0+1.1%
2016 Q4302.8+1.4%
2017 Q1311.9+4.5%
2017 Q2323.0+8.2%
2017 Q3326.2+9.2%
2017 Q4337.1+13%
2018 Q1341.2+14%
2018 Q2352.6+18%
2018 Q3352.2+18%
2018 Q4346.3+16%
2019 Q1351.1+18%
2019 Q2362.2+21%
2019 Q3361.3+21%
2019 Q4360.1+21%
2020 Q1371.2+24%
2020 Q2370.9+24%
2020 Q3393.0+32%
2020 Q4401.9+35%
2021 Q1426.8+43%
2021 Q2457.1+53%
2021 Q3467.5+57%
2021 Q4461.2+54%
2022 Q1484.6+62%
2022 Q2494.5+66%
2022 Q3459.4+54%
2022 Q4449.8+51%
2023 Q1452.6+52%
2023 Q2474.8+59%
2023 Q3473.4+59%
2023 Q4461.8+55%
2024 Q1465.0+56%
2024 Q2471.6+58%
2024 Q3466.8+56%
2024 Q4460.9+54%
2025 Q1470.1+57%
2025 Q2461.4+55%
2025 Q3451.9+51%
2025 Q4449.9+51%
2026 Q1453.0+52%
2026 Q2463.7+55%

Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.

Details

FHFA's purchase-only index for Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, CA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.

ZIP by ZIP

One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.

Loading the ZIP figures…
About these figures

FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 13 of Oakland's 15 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.

Rent or buy here

EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,734 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$3,604

a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 94602

Own: 3-bedroom sample house, $1,074,000Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,734 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$6,964 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
Rent: HUD fair market rent, 3 bedrooms
$3,360 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
See this sample home

Lending

2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Oakland's census tracts: 2,113 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.

Middle half of rates
6.25% to 6.875%
Loan costs at closing
$7,642 medianMiddle half $6,223 to $10,717: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 1,824 loans
Loan limits, 2026
$1,249,125 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $1,249,125 (one-unit home, Alameda County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
80% of the value (median)Middle half 75% to 95%. 43% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 28.1% more than 90%, 16.7% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 2,077 loans
Loan types
Conventional 89.4% · FHA 8.7%VA 1.9% · USDA 0%
Discount points
40.1% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $2,999. Points buy a lower rate.

For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.

Flood and insurance

Federal flood insurance
320 policies in force · 63 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 15 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
Policies insurers didn't renew
1.1% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.

Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)

County hazard ratings (FEMA)

Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties

  • Alameda County, CA: expected yearly losses rated very high for earthquake, inland flooding; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for wildfire, coastal flooding, heat wave.
    Other ratings for Alameda County, CA
    • TornadoRelatively Moderate
    • Winter weatherVery Low
    • HailRelatively Low

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.

What's new in Oakland

Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.

  1. Zoning change

    SB79 transit-oriented housing rules take effect

    Eligible mapped sites in this urban transit county may use state density, height and floor-area standards. Local exemptions and alternative plans matter; proximity alone does not imply a fixed number of homes.

    California HCD, SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development (opens in a new tab)
  2. Zoning change

    2026 ADU rules clarify combinations and JADU occupancy

    The HCD March 2026 handbook explains combining converted, junior and detached ADUs. A JADU with its own bathroom no longer requires owner-occupancy; shared-bathroom JADUs do. These are conditional rights, not permit guarantees.

    California HCD, ADU Handbook (Gov. Code §§66314, 66323, 66333) (opens in a new tab)
  3. Zoning change

    Pre-approved ADU plans get a statewide review pathway

    AB1332 required local ADU pre-approval programs by this date. A pre-approved plan still needs site-specific checks, utilities and a building permit.

    California HCD, ADU Handbook (Gov. Code §§66314, 66323, 66333) (opens in a new tab)

Rules in California

From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.

ClosingRule
An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money.
Seller's disclosureRule
Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) plus Natural Hazard Disclosure You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: a required disclosure delivered after the offer is signed: 5 days if e-delivered or mailed, 3 days if handed over in person.
Closing taxesRule
Alameda County documentary transfer tax: 0.11% of the price · seller paysOakland real property transfer tax: 1–2.5% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount) · split 50/50
How buying works in California
Who runs the closing
An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 30 days.
The contract
Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details

C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (RPA)

Buyer agreement
C.A.R. Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation Agreement, signed before touring.
Details

State law: signed as soon as practicable and no later than the buyer's offer, 3 months at most, no automatic renewal (Civil Code 1670.50). NAR's 2024 rule moves it before the first tour.

Source: Cal. Civil Code §1670.50 (AB 2992) buyer-broker agreements (effective 2025-01-01, retrieved 2026-09-27)

Inspection
About 17 days for inspections.
Details

RPA default investigation contingency: 17 days; removed in writing (C.A.R. form CR).

Earnest money
1–3% of the price, due within 3 business days, held by: Escrow holder.
Details

RPA ¶3D(1): delivered within 3 business days after acceptance, usually by wire. Typical % is a sample.

Seller's disclosure
Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) plus Natural Hazard Disclosure You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: a required disclosure delivered after the offer is signed: 5 days if e-delivered or mailed, 3 days if handed over in person.
Details

Civil Code 1102.3: the buyer may terminate by written notice; most disclosures now arrive electronically.

Source: Cal. Civil Code §1102.3 late-disclosure termination right (retrieved 2026-09-27)

Loan and appraisal
Loan contingency: 17 days (set in the contract).
Details

RPA defaults: loan and appraisal contingencies 17 days each. The 2026 RPA adds an optional appraisal-gap clause: the buyer covers a stated shortfall before the contingency applies.

Title insurance
Who pays for the owner's policy varies; the contract decides.
Details

Custom by county: seller pays in Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Kern, Sacramento and Santa Clara; buyer pays in Alameda and San Francisco (Old Republic Title chart, secondary).

Property tax for a new owner
Proposition 13: you're assessed at the purchase price, then at most 2% more a year. About 1.3% of the price a year is our planning figure for Oakland; your bill can differ.
Details

Prop 13: the sale resets the assessed value to the price; 1% base rate plus voter-approved debt (about 1.15–1.3% in the covered cities), then at most 2% growth a year. A supplemental bill follows closing; parcel taxes and Mello-Roos are extra.

Prop 13: the purchase price becomes the assessed value. Oakland tax rate area 17-001, FY 2025-26: 1.2779%. Oakland's flat parcel taxes (library, parks, safety, schools) are large and not included. Flat parcel taxes, direct assessments and Mello-Roos (common in newer subdivisions) are extra and not included.

Agent credits to the buyer
California allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details

Legal when disclosed to the seller and the lender and paid through escrow (DRE Reference Book ch. 10).

Source: California DRE Reference Book, ch. 10 (Agency): rebates to the buyer must be disclosed (retrieved 2026-09-27)

Some of these facts rest on secondary sources (a law firm, title company or reference site, not the law or the form itself): C.A.R. RPA defaults: 17-day contingencies, deposit in 3 business days (secondary: Greiner Law); June 2026 C.A.R. form changes incl. RPA appraisal-gap option (secondary); Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs (who pays, by county; secondary); Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary).

Closing taxes

Closing taxes in Oakland, who customarily pays and the rate
TaxCustomarily paid byRate
Alameda County documentary transfer taxSeller0.11% of the priceOld Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary)
Oakland real property transfer taxSplit 50/501–2.5% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount)Oakland Municipal Code ch. 4.20 real property transfer tax (Measure X tiers)
Sources (13)

Programs and deadlines

Official pages for Oakland, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.

Down-payment help
MyHome Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) (California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA))A deferred-payment loan for the down payment or closing costs: up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value (whichever is less) with a CalHFA FHA loan, or 3% with a CalHFA conventional loan.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.California's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
Down-payment help in Oakland
Services for Homebuyers (opens in a new tab) (City of Oakland)The CalHome Program and the Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) help low-income first-time homebuyers buy in Oakland, through participating lenders.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
Homestead exemption
Homeowners' Exemption (opens in a new tab) (California State Board of Equalization)A $7,000 reduction in the taxable value of a home that was the owner's principal residence on January 1; file once with the county assessor (form BOE-266).Deadline: February 15, for the full exemption that yearOfficial page, checked 2026-09-28.
If you disagree with your assessment
Notice: Assessment Appeal Application (filing year 2025-2026) (opens in a new tab) (Alameda County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors)An application needs a nonrefundable $50 processing fee, paid when you file.When: July 2 through September 15 (regular filing period)Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
After you buy: alerts on your deed
We found no county alert service for documents recorded on your home. Where we looked: Alameda County Clerk-Recorder pages (its 'Lien Notification' page is about lien fees) and the District Attorney's site; news reports describe a DA 'Real Estate Fraud Notification Program' (letters after grant or quitclaim deeds), but no official page describing it answered.Checked 2026-09-28.

Sample homes in Oakland, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.

Sources (35)