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California Mortgage Calculator

Calculate your monthly mortgage payment using California market data. Property tax and insurance are pre-filled with current California averages. Uses the standard amortization formula to break down principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.

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Loan Details

Taxes & Insurance(California defaults)

California Market Context

Avg Cap Rate

4.2%

Median Price

$833K

Property Tax

0.69%

Vacancy Rate

4.8%

Local Factors

  • -Prop 13 caps property tax increases at 2% per year, benefiting long-term holders
  • -Strict rent control laws in major cities (LA, SF, Oakland) limit rent increases
  • -Wildfire risk is driving insurance costs up dramatically; some areas are becoming uninsurable

Monthly Payment

$5,049

Moderate
Principal & Interest$4,434
Property Tax$479/mo
Insurance$136/mo
Loan Amount$666,400
Total Interest Paid$929,687
Total Cost of Loan$1,596,087

First Payment Breakdown

→ Principal$546
→ Interest$3,887
TOTAL COST$1,817,517
Principal$666,400
Interest$929,687
Property Tax$172,440
Insurance$48,990

What does this mean?

Your annual payments are 7–9% of the home price. Typical for conventional financing. Make sure to budget for taxes, insurance, and maintenance on top of this.

How Mortgage Payments Work

A mortgage payment is calculated using an amortization formula that spreads the loan balance across equal monthly payments over the loan term. Each payment is split between principal (paying down the loan) and interest (the cost of borrowing).

In the early years, most of your payment goes toward interest. As the loan matures, more goes toward principal. This is why the first payment breakdown above shows a heavy interest split — it shifts over time.

For investors: Your mortgage payment is a key input for cash flow analysis. Subtract your total monthly payment (PITI) from rental income to estimate monthly cash flow. A lower rate or larger down payment reduces your payment and improves cash-on-cash returns.

Common terms: 30-year fixed is the most popular for investment properties due to lower monthly payments. 15-year loans build equity faster but require higher payments. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) may start lower but carry rate risk.

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