Gross income is the total amount of money you earn before taxes and other deductions. Lenders consider your gross income, not your net income, when evaluating your ability to make monthly mortgage payments. A higher gross income generally indicates you can afford a more expensive home.
The amount of a mortgage you can afford based on your salary often comes down to a rule of thumb. For example, some experts say you should spend no more than 2x to 2.5x your gross annual income on a mortgage (so if you earn $60,000 per year, the mortgage size should be at most $150,000).
Are there income limits for an FHA mortgage? There's also no maximum income requirement for an FHA loan, so you don't have to worry about earning too much to qualify. These loans are ideal for those who want a lower down payment, and for those with lower credit scores.
To afford a $400,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $100,000 to $125,000, which translates to a gross monthly income of approximately $8,333 to $10,417. However, this is a general range, and your specific circumstances will determine the exact income required.
The house you can afford on a $70,000 income will likely be between $290,000 to $360,000. However, your home-buying budget depends on quite a few financial factors — not just your salary.
Effective income is any income that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) uses to qualify a borrower for a mortgage. It's often the gross income that is found on tax returns and may include salary, hourly wages, overtime pay, tips, commissions, and more.
The bottom line
If you were to purchase a home at today's average rates with a $350,000 mortgage loan, you can expect the monthly payments (principal and interest only) to range from $1,756.92 to $2,337.16 (depending on the loan term you choose).
That's because net income represents the amount of money you have available to spend from each paycheck. If you use gross income instead, you might end up spending money that's already been allocated elsewhere. But gross income can be a more accurate figure if you use a budgeting tool that calls for it.
On a salary of $36,000 per year, you can afford a house priced around $100,000-$110,000 with a monthly payment of just over $1,000. This assumes you have no other debts you're paying off, but also that you haven't been able to save much for a down payment.
Looking for a faster, more accurate way to calculate pay? Gross pay is what employees earn before taxes, benefits and other payroll deductions are withheld from their wages. The amount remaining after all withholdings are accounted for is net pay or take-home pay.
Lenders Look at Your Gross Revenue
Instead, they look at your net business income — the amount you bring in after you subtract relevant business expenses. That can mean the size of the loan you qualify for is smaller, but also that you'll be more comfortable paying it back.
The Bottom Line. On a $70,000 salary using a 50% DTI, you could potentially afford a house worth between $200,000 to $250,000, depending on your specific financial situation.
According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance. Private mortgage insurance.
If you're currently in the market looking to buy a triplex or fourplex with FHA financing, you need to see if the property's rents pass the Self-Sufficiency Test. To be “self-sufficient” means that 75% of the property's rents need to cover the monthly payments.
There are no minimum or maximum income requirements for FHA home loans.
Key Takeaways. Effective gross income is calculated by adding the potential gross rental income with other income and subtracting vacancy and credit costs of a rental property. EGI is key in determining the value of a rental property and the true positive cash flow it can produce.
That monthly payment comes to $36,000 annually. Applying the 28/36 rule, which states that you shouldn't spend more than around a third of your income on housing, multiply $36,000 by three and you get $108,000. So to afford a $500K house you'd have to make at least $108,000 per year.
If you make $70,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $33.65.
To afford a $700,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $175,000 to $235,000, depending on your financial situation, down payment, credit score, and current market conditions. However, this is a general range, and your specific circumstances will determine the exact income required.
If you want to avoid mortgage insurance by putting 20% down, your down payment should be $100,000. If you plan to put 8% down (the median for first-time homebuyers) it would be $40,000. If you're a first-time homebuyer with an FHA loan and a 3% down requirement, you would need $15,000.
How much is the down payment for a $400K house? You'll need a down payment of $12,000, or 3 percent, if you're buying a $400K house with a conventional loan. Meanwhile, an FHA loan requires a slightly higher down payment of $14,000, equivalent to 3.5 percent of the purchase price.
To comfortably afford an $800,000 house, you'll likely need an annual income between $220,000 to $260,000, depending on your specific financial situation and the terms of your mortgage. Remember, just because you can qualify for a loan doesn't mean you should stretch your budget to the maximum.