The Toolkit · Plan With Real Numbers
Run every number before you commit.
Five calculators tuned to how the Bay Area actually transacts: Prop 13 tax math, county closing customs, and prices with a comma in the millions place. No sign-up, no email gate, no surprises later.
Harv Balu, REALTOR® · GRI, CIPS, PSA, FTBS · CA DRE# 02195792 · Realty Experts, Fremont
Average 30-Year Rate
6.53%
Average 15-Year Rate
5.87%
National averages as of June 9, 2026 (Optimal Blue indices). Your quote will differ; the calculators let you set any rate.
The Monthly Payment
Mortgage Calculator
Estimate your total monthly payment for a Bay Area home.
Loan Term
Total Monthly Payment
$7,386.81
Total monthly payment $7,387
Share of monthly payment
Principal & Interest
$6,086.81
Property Tax
$1,100.00
HOA
$200.00
- Down Payment
- $240,000
- Total Interest
- $1,231,250
- Total Cost of Loan
- $2,191,250
Start From the Month
Affordability Calculator
Work backward from your income to a price range you can actually live with, not just qualify for.
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan, a 1.2% effective property tax rate, and $150 per month for insurance. Car loans, student loans, and minimum card payments belong in monthly debts.
Comfortable price $1,106,000
A Comfortable Price
$1,106,000
keeps housing plus your other debts near 36% of income. Stretching to 43%, a ceiling many lenders allow, reaches about $1,305,000.
Principal & interest
$5,744
Property tax
$1,106
Insurance
$150
Monthly at the comfortable price
$7,000
A lender's pre-approval is the number that counts, and a strong one is your first step in the buyer's guide.
The Annual Bill
Property Tax Calculator
What a purchase really costs each year under Prop 13, and why the rate is kinder than the price.
Most Bay Area homes land between 1.1% and 1.3%: the 1% Prop 13 base plus voter-approved local bonds. Your exact rate depends on the tax-rate area; the county assessor's site has the precise figure for any address.
Estimated annual tax $18,000
Estimated Annual Tax
$18,000
about $1,500 per month, folded into most mortgage payments.
$19,484 is roughly the year-five bill at a steady rate: Prop 13 caps assessed-value growth at 2% per year, though voters can add new local taxes to the rate itself.
Expect a supplemental bill, sometimes two depending on your closing date, in your first year, covering the gap between the seller's old assessed value and your purchase price.
Some newer developments add a Mello-Roos special tax on top. It shows on the current tax bill, so we check before you write an offer.
Beyond the Math
Numbers are the easy part. Strategy is the conversation.
A 30-minute conversation puts these numbers in the context of your cities, your timeline, and this market. No commitment, no pressure, and you leave with a plan either way.
Who Pays What
Closing Cost Calculator
Built on Alameda and Santa Clara County customs, not national averages that miss who pays what here.
I Am
Picking a city sets the county for you.
Customs allocate these costs unless your contract says otherwise; everything is negotiable. Commission is never set by law. Figures as of 2026; your escrow officer's estimate is the authoritative figure.
Estimated buyer costs $15,300–$28,700
Estimated Buyer Costs
$15,300–$28,700
Lender & appraisal fees
$1,500–$3,000
Origination, underwriting, and the appraisal. Cash buyers skip most of this.
Title & escrow
$7,500–$11,500
Alameda County custom: the buyer pays the owner's title policy and escrow fee.
City transfer tax, your share
$0
None for the city selected.
Inspections
$0–$1,500
Often provided up front by the seller here; budget for your own if not.
Prepaids & prorations
$6,000–$12,000
First-year insurance and your share of the property taxes at closing.
Recording & misc.
$300–$700
County recording, notary, courier.
Not shown above: your agent's compensation, set in your buyer representation agreement. Sellers often cover it as a negotiated concession; when they do not, it is a buyer cost on top of these figures.
Your Equity, Measured
Home Equity Line of Credit Calculator
After years of Bay Area appreciation, see what your equity could responsibly unlock.
Most lenders cap a HELOC at 80% combined loan-to-value; rates float with the market. Not sure what your home is worth? Get a free valuation.
Available credit line $600,000
Available Credit Line
$600,000
of your $900,000 total equity, at the loan-to-value cap you set.
Interest-only payment on a full draw: $4,000 per month at your chosen rate. Most HELOCs are interest-only during the draw period, then amortize.
Rates are variable, so the payment moves with the market. Interest is generally deductible only when the money improves the home that secures it; your CPA has the final word.
Education, Not a Quote
These calculators are estimates for planning, not loan offers, tax advice, or escrow figures. Rates, customs, and tax rules carry an "as of 2026" shelf life. Your lender's Loan Estimate, your escrow officer's statement, and your CPA are the binding versions.
Keep Going
The numbers are ready. Now the plan.
Three useful places to go from here, whichever number you just ran.
Want live daily rates? The advanced calculator on HarvRealtor.com (opens in new tab) updates every day.