San Diego Cash-Out Refinance Calculator
Estimate a refinance and compare taking cash out against a straight rate-and-term refi — your new monthly payment, cash to you, resulting loan-to-value, and break-even on closing costs. Educational estimate, never a quote. Pre-filled with San Diego's ~$1,007,800 median home value; edit any field to match your home.
How a cash-out refinance works
A cash-out refinance replaces your existing mortgage with a new, larger loan and gives you the difference in cash. On a primary residence, conventional and FHA cash-out are generally capped at 80% of your home's value (LTV); VA cash-out can go higher for eligible borrowers. The cash is often used to consolidate higher-interest debt, fund improvements, or cover a large expense — but it resets your loan and adds closing costs (typically 2%–5%).
A rate-and-term refinance takes no cash out — it just replaces your loan to lower the rate or change the term, so the calculator also shows your monthly savings and how many months it takes to break even on closing costs. If you'd rather borrow against equity without refinancing your first mortgage, see the HELOC vs. HELOAN calculator.
Common questions
How much cash can I take out?
Most primary-residence cash-out refinances cap the new loan at 80% of your home's value; VA cash-out can go higher for eligible veterans. Your available cash is that cap minus your current balance and closing costs. The calculator estimates this from your value and balance.
Cash-out or rate-and-term — which should I pick?
Choose cash-out if you need funds from your equity; choose rate-and-term if you only want a lower rate or a different term with no cash out. The calculator lets you switch between them and shows the payment, cash, LTV, and break-even for each.
Is this a quote?
No. It is an educational estimate using illustrative rates and standard LTV caps — not a quote, pre-qualification, or commitment to lend. MortEdu is an educational publisher, not a lender, broker, or servicer. Verify every figure with a licensed lender.
Built on San Diego, California figures
Borrowable equity on a San Diego home at the San Diego median value of $1,007,800, shown at three lender CLTV ceilings. Assumes you still owe half the value. Typical California statewide homeowners insurance runs about $4,072 a year at this value.
| Combined loan-to-value | Max total borrowing | If you owe 50% | Equity available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80% CLTV | $806,240 | $403,120 | $302,340 |
| 85% CLTV | $856,630 | $428,315 | $352,730 |
| 90% CLTV | $907,020 | $453,510 | $403,120 |
San Diego is California's second-largest city, where limited coastal land and steady demand keep home prices among the highest in the nation, well above $900,000 by most 2026 measures. The housing stock spans dense downtown condos and townhomes, classic Craftsman and Spanish-style bungalows in older neighborhoods, and newer master-planned communities inland that may carry Mello-Roos special assessments on top of the base property tax. Because typical prices sit near or above the county's conforming loan ceiling, many local buyers encounter jumbo financing, larger down-payment expectations, and wildfire- and earthquake-related insurance considerations. Understanding local property taxes, loan limits, and hazard coverage is essential before shopping for a home in the San Diego area.
Why insurance moves the number here: Much of San Diego's inland, foothill, and canyon-adjacent development sits in or near Wildland-Urban Interface areas, and the city and CAL FIRE/state fire marshal designate Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones across parts of the city and county. As traditional insurers have pulled back from coastal-California wildfire exposure, some owners turn to the California FAIR Plan, the state's insurer of last resort for basic fire coverage, typically pairing it with a wrap-around (difference-in-conditions) policy for perils it excludes. San Diego also carries seismic risk from the Rose Canyon Fault, a strike-slip fault that runs onshore near downtown and is considered capable of a large, damaging earthquake. Low-lying and coastal areas can additionally face flood exposure, so buyers should check FEMA flood maps and local hazard designations for a specific address. Wind exposure is a large part of why a San Diego payment can differ from the same price elsewhere, so the insurance figure above is doing real work in the total.
Median value plus the county property-tax rate and statewide insurance figure come from public data held in this site’s own dataset. Payments use an illustrative 6.875% 30-year rate and are estimates for education only — never a quote, offer, or approval. Change any input in the calculator above to model your own scenario.
Understanding the San Diego Market
San Diego sits in San Diego County, California. Neighborhoods such as La Jolla, North Park, Pacific Beach, Hillcrest, and Point Loma each carry their own mix of home ages, price tiers, and insurance considerations that are worth understanding before you set a budget in San Diego.
A buyer planning a budget in San Diego usually starts from the area's approximate median home value of about $1,007,800 (a rough market benchmark, not a quote).
Taken together, the median price, San Diego County tax rate, and insurance outlook are what shape a realistic monthly payment in San Diego — which is why the calculator above is pre-set with this county's numbers. Adjust the inputs to match your own situation, and confirm current figures with a licensed California lender of your choice before making any decisions.