‘Full House’: Could Danny Tanner Really Afford Prime San Francisco Real Estate?

Full House premiered in 1987, years before San Francisco’s housing market would explode. In the show, Danny Tanner and his three daughters, brother-in-law and old friend, all lived in a spacious Victorian home in San Francisco. The house featured in the opening credits is worth millions today and surely would be out of Danny’s financial reach, but could he realistically afford the house back in the 1980s? 

What was Danny Tanner’s job when the series began?

When Full House premiered, the widowed father was a sportscaster. Today, sportscasters make, on average, about $40,000 a year, but salaries vary greatly by market. Danny worked in San Francisco, which is a top 10 market, meaning he would earn more. Today, Danny would have pulled in around $78,000 as a sportscaster. In 1987, when the series premiered, he would have earned around $33,000. 

Danny didn’t spend his entire career as a sportscaster, though. Eventually, he was promoted to a morning show host. Today, local anchors earn, on average, around $100,000 a year, according to Salary. In the early 1990s, Danny likely would have earned around $53,000. 

How much would Danny Tanner’s house cost in 1987 and Today?

San Francisco’s real estate market has exploded in the last 20 years. Today, someone like Danny would be priced out of his prime address, but in 1987, he may have been able to swing it. The Full House house, located at 1709 Broderick Street, was listed in September 2019 for $5.9 million. According to Curbed, it was previously sold in 2016 for $4 million. The buyer was none other than Jeff Franklin, the producer of Full House. 

So, the home is worth several million dollars today, but was that the case back in 1987, the year Full House premiered? Absolutely not. According to Zillow, the property was assessed in 2000 and was valued at $850,000. In 1987, Danny could have grabbed the 3,000 square foot home for around $450,000, which was still a hefty price tag for the time frame. 

Could Danny Tanner afford the home?

While Danny certainly wouldn’t have been earning a huge paycheck shortly after his wife died, he did have additional income that might have made it possible to swing the mortgage on his spacious home. Because his wife and the mother of his three children was killed in an accident, Danny likely would have received survivor benefits. 

A life insurance payout and any money received in a potential lawsuit could have helped carry the family. Any insurance payouts, benefits, or legal settlements were not mentioned in the show. Which makes it hard to discern if Danny really could have afforded his family’s lifestyle. It would have been a tight squeeze on just his income, but additional payouts would have made it a lot easier to get by.