Serving San Diego, CA
Reverse Mortgages in San Diego
HECM Education for San Diego Homeowners
Why San Diego homeowners are exploring reverse mortgages
The advice San Diego retirees keep hearing is 'just downsize.' But run the numbers and it falls apart fast. Sell your $900,000 home in Clairemont — you net maybe $840,000 after commissions and closing costs. Buy a smaller place in Escondido for $700,000 (plus closing costs and moving expenses), and you've freed up maybe $120,000. You've also lost your Prop 13 tax basis and now pay property taxes on a $700,000 assessment instead of the $250,000 you originally paid. Within a few years, the higher taxes eat into that $120,000.
A HECM skips all of that. A 72-year-old with that same $900,000 home could access roughly $380,000 in equity — more than three times what downsizing would free up — without selling, without moving, and without resetting property taxes. For San Diego's large military retiree community, where VA pensions provide stable income but not always enough liquidity, that access to home equity can be the piece that makes the whole retirement plan work.
San Diego housing snapshot
$900,000
Median home value
250,000+
Population 65+
$1,249,125
2026 FHA lending limit
Neighborhood & community values
What makes San Diego unique for reverse mortgages
Strong military retiree community
San Diego is home to one of the largest concentrations of military retirees in the country. Military pensions, VA disability income, and retirement benefits all work with the HECM financial assessment. Many retirees use a HECM to supplement their pension without taking on monthly payments.
HECM for Purchase lets you right-size without a payment
Want a single-story home closer to Scripps or Sharp? The HECM for Purchase program lets you buy a new primary residence using a reverse mortgage — meaning you can downsize within San Diego without taking on monthly mortgage payments. You bring a down payment, the HECM covers the rest, and you move in payment-free. Learn how HECM for Purchase works →
Selling costs $50,000+ in San Diego
On a $900,000 home, real estate commissions alone run $45,000–$54,000. Add closing costs, staging, repairs, and moving expenses, and you're looking at $60,000+ just to sell. A HECM's upfront costs are a fraction of that — and you keep the house.
Wide value range means wide eligibility
San Diego's market spans from $700,000 homes in Escondido to $1.8 million in La Jolla. That range means the HECM works differently in different neighborhoods — but it works almost everywhere. Inland homeowners get full value in the calculation. Coastal owners hit the FHA cap but still access substantial proceeds.
How much can San Diego homeowners get?
Based on a median home value of $900,000 in the San Diego area, a typical HECM borrower at current rates might access:
Age 65
35-43%
of home value
Age 75
45-53%
of home value
Age 85
55-64%
of home value
These are approximate ranges based on typical expected rates. Your actual amount depends on age, home value, and current rates. Use our free calculator for a personalized estimate or see full amount tables.