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San Francisco market pulse

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

Metro prices

Past change, not a forecast.

Data table
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA metro: FHFA house price index, 2016 Q2 to 2026 Q2
QuarterIndexChange since 2016 Q2
2016 Q2386.9—
2016 Q3378.9-2.1%
2016 Q4382.3-1.2%
2017 Q1376.5-2.7%
2017 Q2396.2+2.4%
2017 Q3417.1+7.8%
2017 Q4412.0+6.5%
2018 Q1418.1+8.1%
2018 Q2469.6+21%
2018 Q3441.0+14%
2018 Q4438.0+13%
2019 Q1459.3+19%
2019 Q2486.8+26%
2019 Q3446.0+15%
2019 Q4463.5+20%
2020 Q1463.0+20%
2020 Q2478.7+24%
2020 Q3474.9+23%
2020 Q4475.6+23%
2021 Q1499.6+29%
2021 Q2505.1+31%
2021 Q3526.9+36%
2021 Q4548.3+42%
2022 Q1558.4+44%
2022 Q2611.5+58%
2022 Q3499.1+29%
2022 Q4522.5+35%
2023 Q1500.8+29%
2023 Q2518.7+34%
2023 Q3515.0+33%
2023 Q4508.4+31%
2024 Q1503.1+30%
2024 Q2525.4+36%
2024 Q3519.4+34%
2024 Q4508.7+31%
2025 Q1510.8+32%
2025 Q2544.3+41%
2025 Q3500.3+29%
2025 Q4516.9+34%
2026 Q1564.5+46%
2026 Q2531.5+37%

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

Details

FHFA's purchase-only index for San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, 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. 16 of San Francisco's 27 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 $7,736 · 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)$4,254

a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 94122

Own: 4-bedroom sample house, $1,449,000Sample: 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 $7,736 · 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)$9,274 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
Rent: HUD fair market rent, 4 bedrooms
$5,020 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 San Francisco's census tracts: 3,251 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
6.125% to 6.875%
Loan costs at closing
$7,734 medianMiddle half $6,572 to $9,865: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 3,108 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, San Francisco County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
75% of the value (median)Middle half 60.1% to 80%. 13.3% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 5.5% more than 90%, 3% 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 · 3,180 loans
Loan types
Conventional 98.5% · FHA 0.8%VA 0.7% · USDA 0%
Discount points
27.3% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $2,506. 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
245 policies in force · 20 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 27 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
Policies insurers didn't renew
0.6% 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

  • San Francisco County, CA: expected yearly losses rated very high for earthquake; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for inland flooding.
    Other ratings for San Francisco County, CA
    • WildfireVery Low
    • Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate
    • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
    • TornadoRelatively Low
    • Winter weatherVery Low
    • HailVery 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 San Francisco

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)
  4. Rail opened

    Caltrain launches its full electric-service timetable

    Electrified service connects San Francisco and San José on the existing rail corridor. This is a major service upgrade, not a newly built station or a parcel-specific transit entitlement.

    Caltrain, electrified timetable launch (opens in a new tab)
  5. Rail opened

    Central Subway starts full T Third through-service

    Full T Third service connects Chinatown–Rose Pak through the Central Subway. The initial weekend shuttle opened in November 2022; this date is the full-service milestone.

    SFMTA, new T Third through-service FAQ (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
San Francisco real property transfer tax: 0.5–6% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount) · seller pays
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 1.2% of the price a year is our planning figure for San Francisco; 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. San Francisco secured rate FY 2025-26: 1.18268325%. 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 San Francisco, who customarily pays and the rate
TaxCustomarily paid byRate
San Francisco real property transfer taxSeller0.5–6% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount)San Francisco Assessor-Recorder: transfer tax rates
Sources (13)

Programs and deadlines

Official pages for San Francisco, 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 San Francisco
MOHCD loan programs: Downpayment Assistance Loan Program (DALP) (opens in a new tab) (San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development)A downpayment loan of up to $500,000 for first-time homebuyers bidding on an open-market home, assigned by an annual lottery.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
Assessment Appeals Board (opens in a new tab) (City and County of San Francisco)An independent board, separate from the Assessor's Office, decides assessment disputes; it accepts no late applications.When: the 2026/2027 regular period closed September 15, 2026 (postmark)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: San Francisco Assessor-Recorder department page links and web searches; California requires every county to start a recorder notification program by January 1, 2027 (SB 255).Checked 2026-09-28.

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

Sources (37)