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Deciphering how much you’ll owe in property taxes isn’t a straightforward calculation and it can change from year to year. That said; it’s easy enough to get a general sense of what your property taxes will come to.
The Tax Collector of the City and County of San Francisco calculates the tax on your property as follows:
(Assessed Value x Annual Tax Rate) – Exemptions + Special Assessments/Fees/Liens
The annual tax rate varies from year to year but it has remained in the 1.1 to 1.2% range for some time.
You will owe property tax in two installments. The first is due 11/1 and becomes delinquent after 12/10. The second installment is due 2/1 and becomes delinquent after 4/10.
Additionally, when you purchase a new property, its value will be re-assessed generally to its sale price and you will owe taxes on the difference between the old value and the reassessed value for whatever pro-rated portion of the year in which you own the property.
For more information, see the San Francisco Treasurer’s website
San Francisco Treasurer’s Office
If you’re just getting started house hunting, the first thing you should do is get pre-approved with a mortgage broker or bank. In order to know what you can afford and what size loan you’ll be offered at what interest rate, you’ll need a pre-approval. Based on that information, the Droubi Team can help you assess the market and consider appropriate properties.
If you’re collecting down payment funds from various sources, it is best to have that money assembled as soon as possible.
Most lenders require a minimum of 20% down. These days, many investors are able to assemble their full offer amount in cash. While that’s appealing to sellers in some ways, Droubi Team can help you to present a competitive offer.
When money is placed “in escrow”, that means it is held by a neutral third-party, usually a title company in San Francisco. Essentially, escrow is a way for two or more parties to exchange items (such as money and property) without one party taking on risk. The neutral third-party (an “escrow officer”) confirms that each party has fulfilled his or her obligations and then the escrow officer releases the money and property to its intended recipient at close of escrow.
The title to your property is the legal document that assigns the holder rights of ownership. If there are problems with the title, they can have serious consequences for you. For example, a previous title holder might have failed to pay off a contractor, or to keep current on property taxes. If that’s the case, and those problems aren’t cleared up before you close, you will inherit the problem.
As part of the sale of a property, title professionals will attempt to search the public records to discover any potential problems with the title. Title insurance protects you in case there are any hidden problems with the title that arise after you’ve completed the purchase. Those mistakes might be errors or omissions in deeds, forged documents, or mistakes in the examining records.
Should such a problem arise, the title insurance policy will cover you with both the required funds and even the legal defence so that you retain title.
Title insurance is not required if you are paying cash.
Gas & Electric
PG&E
800.743.5000
Water
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
415.551.3000
Garbage
Recology SF
415.330.1300
Internet & Cable Providers
Comcast / Xfinity
800.266.2278
San Francisco Department of Building Inspection
415.558.6088
1660 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
San Francisco Rent Board
415.252.4602
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 320
San Francisco, CA 94102
San Francisco Assessor’s Office
415.554.5511
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place
Room 190
San Francisco, CA