San Rafael Measure W Transfer Tax: What Marin Home Sellers Need to Know

If you own a home in San Rafael, one line on your November ballot could change what you walk away with at closing. Measure W would raise the city's real property transfer tax fivefold. Whether you plan to vote yes or no, if a sale is anywhere in your next twelve months, it is worth understanding the numbers now, before the vote.

What Measure W would change

San Rafael currently charges a real property transfer tax of 0.2% of the sale price, or $2 for every $1,000. Measure W, on the November 3, 2026 ballot, would raise that rate to 1%, or $10 for every $1,000. The tax is charged only when a property sells. It needs a simple majority to pass, and it would take effect ten days after the City Council certifies the election results.

What it costs on a real sale, and who usually pays

On a $1.5 million sale, the city transfer tax is $3,000 today. Under Measure W it would be $15,000, a $12,000 difference paid at closing. Who pays is negotiable in the purchase contract, but in Marin the seller customarily covers it. For most San Rafael sellers, that means the increase comes straight out of net proceeds.

The math scales with price. A $1 million sale would go from $2,000 to $10,000. A $2 million sale would go from $4,000 to $20,000.

Where the money would go, and what opponents say

The city estimates Measure W would bring in about $6 million a year in new revenue for fire protection, paramedics, 911 response, street repair and homelessness services, with annual audits and a citizen oversight committee. Opponents point out that it would be the city's fifth tax, that it has no sunset date, and that it falls hardest on longtime owners, especially seniors trying to downsize.

The timing question for late-2026 closings

Because the higher rate would start ten days after results are certified, the date your sale records matters. A home that closes before the effective date pays today's rate. A home that closes after it pays the new one. If you are already planning to sell in the next year, it is worth talking through whether an earlier listing makes sense, and what the rest of the market looks like right now.

Rates are part of that picture. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by a quarter point on September 16, 2026, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, and the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was about 7.1% the next day. Higher borrowing costs can shift buyer demand, so timing a sale is about more than one tax.

How San Rafael would compare with San Francisco

San Francisco's transfer tax is tiered by price: 0.5% under $250,000, 0.68% from $250,000 to $1 million, 0.75% from $1 million to $5 million, and higher rates above that, up to 6% over $25 million. At 1%, San Rafael would charge more than San Francisco on a typical single-family sale between $1 million and $5 million.

What San Rafael owners can do now

Start with a current, realistic value for your home, not an online estimate. Then look at your timeline: if a sale in the next year is likely, compare your expected net proceeds before and after the effective date. If you own a home through a trust or are handling an estate, the same timing question applies, and the date of death, court timelines and trustee approvals all affect when a sale can record.

Explore more about living and owning in the area on our Marin County neighborhood guide.

Sources: Marin Independent Journal, September 20, 2026; Marin County Elections, Measure W; SF.gov transfer tax rate schedule (checked September 21, 2026); CNBC, September 16, 2026; The Mortgage Reports, September 17, 2026. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice.