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City and County of San Francisco
San Francisco Mortgage Broker
A San Francisco mortgage broker works in a market where the average September 2026 sale closed about 15% over its asking price and the median home went pending in about two weeks. Here the loan is part of the offer, not paperwork that follows it. Alameda Mortgage is a direct lender with the option to broker, and Mike Fisher prices San Francisco purchases with us and against other wholesale lenders from Simi Valley, so the financing in your contract is financing you have already compared and documented.
Price my San Francisco loan SF rates today
A San Francisco Mortgage Broker for Offers Over Asking
The financing problem in a bidding market is the appraisal. Lenders lend on the lower of the price and the appraised value. If you win a house at 115% of list and the appraiser cannot find sales to support the full price, the loan is sized to the appraisal and the difference comes out of your cash. Plan the purchase with two numbers: the down payment, and a cushion for an appraisal gap.
The second problem is speed. A pre-approval built on a credit pull and a phone call tells a listing agent little; a file whose income and assets have been reviewed tells them the loan will close. Mike gets San Francisco files underwritten before you write offers.
The third is the loan type. In SF MLS data for the 12 months ending October 13, 2026, the house median was $2,000,000 and the condo and co-op median $1,275,000. With 20% down, the median house needs a $1.6 million jumbo; the median condo needs about $1.02 million, a high-balance conforming loan. Most house buyers shop jumbo lenders and most condo buyers shop conforming ones, and a San Francisco mortgage broker who can do both saves you from starting over.
Today’s Home Loan Rates for San Francisco County
Priced for San Francisco County, October 27, 2026
0.125 points See every option 15-year fixed 6.375% 6.436% APR P&I $5,531/mo on $640,000
$800 lender credit See every option 30-year FHA 7.250% 7.324% APR P&I $4,366/mo on $640,000
0.187 points See every option 30-year VA 6.750% 6.794% APR P&I $4,151/mo on $640,000
$506 lender credit See every option 30-year jumbo 8.125% 8.207% APR P&I $10,395/mo on $1,400,000
0.322 points See every option
Par pricing for a single-family primary residence in San Francisco County: 20% down, 30-year term unless noted, 780+ credit, 30-day lock, escrows included. Payments are principal and interest only; taxes and insurance add to them. Rates change through the day and are not a commitment to lend. Price your own San Francisco scenario, no credit pull.
Mortgage Broker in San Francisco or Your Bank: What Differs
A bank lends from one rate sheet and one set of rules. Alameda Mortgage lends directly, and Mike can also send the same file to other wholesale lenders and compare the APR, points or credit and cash to close. That matters most where a slow underwriter can cost you the house.
| A retail bank | Alameda Mortgage, direct lender that can also broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate sheets compared | The bank’s own | Our own, plus other wholesale lenders the same day |
| Jumbo houses above $1,249,125 | Only the bank’s jumbo box | Jumbo lenders with different reserve and down payment rules |
| High-rise condos in SoMa and Mission Bay | One project review standard | Several, so one decline need not end the purchase |
| Equity, RSU or bonus pay | Counted by one policy | Matched to a lender whose guidelines fit your pay |
| Offer deadlines | The bank’s queue | File underwritten before you bid |
| TIC shares | Some local banks lend on them | Told plainly whether a wholesale lender can, or referred to a TIC specialist |
General comparison. Individual banks and lenders differ, and every loan is subject to credit approval.
San Francisco Housing Market Insights, Fall 2026
Sources: Redfin San Francisco housing market (September 2026), Zillow Home Value Index (September 30, 2026), SF MLS data via reinsf.com (12 months to October 13, 2026), U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024.
This is one of the strongest markets in the country in 2026. The March 2026 house median of $2.15 million set a record above the April 2022 peak, Compass reported roughly one month of single-family supply in August, and Zillow counted a median of 13 days to pending.
Fewer than four in ten homes are owner-occupied, and rents rose about 26% over the year by Apartment List’s count.
San Francisco Neighborhoods and the Home Loans That Fit
House and condo medians are SF MLS figures for the 12 months to October 13, 2026.
Excelsior, Crocker Amazon and Outer Mission
Modest 1910s to 1950s houses at about $1.14 million to $1.2 million, high-balance conforming with modest down payments, and among the few places FHA can buy a house at all.
Bayview and Visitacion Valley
The most affordable house market in the city, with medians of $981,500 and $1.05 million, and Bayview condos near $710,000.
SoMa, Mission Bay and South Beach
Mostly post-2000 high-rise and mid-rise condos, at medians of about $802,500, $1.299 million and $1.275 million. Redevelopment areas such as Mission Bay may carry special district taxes; we have not confirmed which buildings do, so read the tax bill.
Sunset and Parkside
1930s and 1940s row houses from about $1.65 million (Outer Parkside) to $2.155 million (Inner Sunset), jumbo even with 20% down.
Richmond District and Bernal Heights
Houses, flats and small buildings at $2.2 million to $3.2 million in the Richmond, and smaller cottages near $1.85 million in Bernal Heights, where condos run about $1.25 million.
Noe Valley, Pacific Heights and the Marina
House medians of $3.125 million, $7.6 million and $5.25 million. Above $5 million the transfer tax rate triples, which matters at closing.
TICs: The San Francisco Loan Most Lenders Skip
Many two- to six-unit buildings are owned as tenancies in common, because condo conversion is restricted. SF Public Works lists the Expedited Conversion Program for two- to six-unit buildings as suspended, under a partial suspension dated August 15, 2017. A TIC share is not a separate legal parcel, so standard conforming, FHA and VA loans do not work for it; buyers usually need a fractional TIC loan from one of a small number of local banks and credit unions. We have not verified which are active today, so tell Mike early.
San Francisco Home Loan Programs, Direct or Brokered
- Conventional and high-balance loans up to $1,249,125, the usual fit for condos.
- Jumbo loans for nearly every house north and west of the southeast neighborhoods.
- FHA loans with 3.5% down up to the same county limit, in approved condo projects and the southern house markets.
- VA home loans, with no VA loan limit for borrowers with full entitlement.
- Non-QM and bank statement loans for founders and consultants whose returns understate income.
- DSCR loans on rentals, qualified on rent.
- HELOCs and refinances for owners who already hold equity.
First-Time Buyer Help
The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development runs a Downpayment Assistance Loan Program, a deferred second loan repaid with a share of appreciation. We could not confirm its 2026 funding round, amounts or income limits, so check MOHCD before you plan around it. Statewide, CalHFA’s MyHome Assistance Program can add up to 3.5% of the price with a CalHFA FHA first or 3% with a CalHFA conventional first.
San Francisco Property Tax, Insurance and the City Transfer Tax
The property tax bill starts at 1% of your purchase price under Proposition 13, plus voter-approved bonds and direct charges. We could not confirm the city’s total secured rate for 2025-26, so use the seller’s actual bill when you plan the payment. Earthquake is the dominant insurance risk, with the San Andreas and Hayward faults nearby, so price that coverage too.
San Francisco charges its own transfer tax under Article 12-C, applied to the full price at the tier the sale falls in: 0.50% over $100 to $250,000; 0.68% to under $1 million; 0.75% from $1 million to under $5 million; 2.25% from $5 million to under $10 million; 5.5% to under $25 million; and 6.0% above. At the September 2026 median of about $1.58 million that is roughly $11,850; on a $1.275 million condo, about $9,560. Because each rate applies to the entire price, a $4,990,000 sale owes about $37,425 and a $5,000,000 sale owes $112,500. Who pays is negotiated.
Proposition I on the November 3, 2026 ballot would keep total rates the same but split the $10 million and higher tiers, so sales under $10 million, nearly every home sale, would not change. The BUILD Act, a proposal to cut the top rates, was paused in June 2026.
California property tax starts at 1% of the purchase price under Proposition 13, plus voter-approved bonds and any special assessments on the parcel, so the real bill varies by street. Insurance depends on the home, its fire and flood exposure and the carrier. These are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Run your own numbers.
Equity and Refinance Options for City Owners
Owners hold large equity: the Census median owner-reported value was $1,394,500 for 2020 to 2024, and Zillow’s typical value rose 15.5% in the year to September 2026. A San Francisco HELOC, from 7.49% APR, variable, leaves a low first mortgage in place; a refinance wins when the new rate is clearly lower. TIC owners usually cannot get a standard HELOC because the unit is not a separate parcel.
Buying a Rental in San Francisco
About 62% of homes are rented. Apartment List’s October 2026 medians were $3,915 for a one-bedroom and $4,640 for a two-bedroom. A DSCR loan can qualify a rental on its rent, but most units in buildings first certified on or before June 13, 1979 fall under the Rent Ordinance, with a 1.6% allowable increase from March 2026 to February 2027, so in-place leases drive the math.
San Francisco Market Direction in the 2026 Data
We do not forecast prices. The sourced direction is a market that tightened through 2026: Compass put the August single-family median near $1.86 million, up about 24%, and rents rose faster than prices. Two ballot items, local Proposition I and statewide Proposition 43, will be decided on November 3, 2026, and neither changes the transfer tax on sales under $10 million.
Alameda Mortgage as Your San Francisco Mortgage Broker, Step by Step
Mike handles your file himself, from the first quote to funding. He gets it underwritten before you bid, tells you whether the house or condo lands on a jumbo or conforming grid, and prices it with us and, when it helps, other wholesale lenders. As your San Francisco mortgage broker he works by phone, email and e-signature, with a local appraiser and a San Francisco escrow and title company.
How a San Francisco Purchase Moves to Closing
- Send the planHouse or condo, neighborhoods, price range, cash for the down payment and an appraisal cushion. No credit pull to start.
- Underwrite before you bidIncome and assets are reviewed up front, so the approval letter carries weight with a listing agent.
- Size the appraisal riskMike shows what a below-price appraisal would do to the loan type and the cash needed.
- Compare and lockRate, APR, points or credit and cash to close from us and other lenders, then you choose when to lock.
- Appraise, sign, fundA local appraiser, e-signature or a mobile notary, and San Francisco escrow records the loan.
San Francisco Mortgage Broker FAQs
What happens if my San Francisco home appraises below my offer?
The lender bases the loan on the lower of the price and the appraised value, so a gap comes out of your cash or is negotiated with the seller. With sales averaging about 15% over list in September 2026, that risk is real. Keep a cushion beyond the down payment and tell Mike your plan, since a smaller down payment can change the loan type.
Is a typical San Francisco house a jumbo loan?
Yes. The SF MLS house median for the 12 months ending October 13, 2026 was $2,000,000, and 20% down leaves a $1.6 million loan, above the $1,249,125 limit. The condo median of $1,275,000 with 20% down is about $1.02 million, which is high-balance conforming. Houses in Bayview, Visitacion Valley, the Excelsior and Outer Mission can still be conforming.
Why use a San Francisco mortgage broker instead of a bank?
A bank offers its own programs. Alameda Mortgage offers its own programs and can also compare several wholesale lenders on one file, which helps most with jumbo houses, condo buildings that fail one lender’s review, and pay that includes equity or bonuses. You still pick the lender and the terms.
Can I get a regular mortgage on a San Francisco TIC?
Usually not. A tenancy-in-common share is not a separate legal parcel, so conforming, FHA and VA loans generally do not apply. Buyers typically use fractional TIC loans from a small number of local banks and credit unions. The city’s expedited condo conversion program for two- to six-unit buildings is listed as suspended, so do not count on converting soon.
How much is San Francisco transfer tax on a $2 million house?
Sales from $1 million to under $5 million pay 0.75% of the full price, so a $2,000,000 sale owes $15,000. The rate rises to 2.25% at $5 million and to 5.5% and 6.0% at $10 million and $25 million. Proposition I on the November 3, 2026 ballot would not change rates below $10 million. Who pays is negotiable.
Is down payment assistance available in San Francisco in 2026?
MOHCD runs a Downpayment Assistance Loan Program, but we could not confirm its 2026 round, amount or income limits, so check with MOHCD directly. CalHFA’s MyHome Assistance Program is listed as current statewide and pairs with CalHFA first mortgages.
How does a Simi Valley lender close a San Francisco loan?
Remotely, and without any loss of local knowledge at closing. Alameda Mortgage Corp is licensed throughout California. San Francisco loans are handled by phone, email and e-signature, with a local appraiser and a San Francisco escrow and title company. Mike stays your contact from pre-approval to funding and prices the file with our own programs and other wholesale lenders rather than a single rate sheet.
What Clients Say About Working With Mike
★★★★★
The process went smoothly and very quickly
★★★★★
Everthing was explained in detail and answered all my questions.
★★★★★
Mike had great communication and knows how to get things done.
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Contact a San Francisco Mortgage Broker Before You Bid
Tell us house or condo, the neighborhoods you are watching, your price range and how much cash you have for the down payment and an appraisal cushion. Mike will price it with us and against other wholesale lenders and get the file underwritten before you write offers. No credit pull to start.
Prefer to talk? Call 800-801-5626.