How much can a first time home buyer afford?

Asked by: Braxton Mosciski II  |  Last update: February 1, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (54 votes)

Most financial advisors agree that people should spend no more than 28 percent of their gross monthly income on housing expenses, and no more than 36 percent on total debt. The 28/36 percent rule is a tried-and-true home affordability rule of thumb that establishes a baseline for what you can afford to pay every month.

How much house can I afford as a first-time buyer?

How much house can I afford with an FHA loan? With a FHA loan, your debt-to-income (DTI) limits are typically based on a 31/43 rule of affordability. This means your monthly payments should be no more than 31% of your pre-tax income, and your monthly debts should be less than 43% of your pre-tax income.

How much money should I have as a first-time home buyer?

First-time home buyer down payments start at 3%

Rest assured, the minimum down payment for a house is typically lower than the traditional 20%. Most buyers only need 3-3.5% for conventional or FHA loans, which is $13,500-$15,750 on a $450,000 home. Down payment assistance may reduce this further.

How much house can I afford if I make $36,000 a year?

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.

Can I afford a $300 k house on a $70 k salary?

If you're an aspiring homeowner, you may be asking yourself, “How much house can I afford a with $70K salary?” If you make $70K a year, you can likely afford a home between $290,000 and $360,000*. That's a monthly house payment between $2,000 and $2,500 a month, depending on your personal finances.

How Much Home You Can ACTUALLY Afford (By Salary)

24 related questions found

Can I buy a house making $50,000 a year?

The rule of 2.5 times your income stipulates that you shouldn't purchase a house that costs more than two and a half times your annual income. So, if you have a $50,000 annual salary, you should be able to afford a $125,000 home.

How much an hour is $70,000 a year?

If you make $70,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $33.65.

Can I buy a house if I make 25K a year?

I make $25K a year; can I buy a house? Yes, if you make $25K a year, you can likely afford around $580 per month for a monthly mortgage payment. With a 6% fixed rate and a 3% down payment, this could buy you a house worth about $100,000. However, consult a mortgage lender for exact numbers tailored to your situation.

Is $35000 a year low income?

According to HHS's measurement, a family of four in 2023 would be considered impoverished if their income is $30,000 or lower. Alaska and Hawaii use a slightly different measure due to a higher cost of living in those states. The poverty guideline is $37,500 in Alaska and $34,500 in Hawaii.

What is the ideal income to buy a house?

Zillow says seven metropolitan areas in the U.S., including four in California, require homebuyers to have an annual income of $200,000 or more to comfortably afford a home. Here's where and the annual income needed to comfortably afford a home: San Jose - $454,296. San Francisco - $339,864.

How old is the average first home buyer?

The median first-time homebuyer has reached an all-time high age of 38 years old, three years older than in July 2023, according to the National Association of Realtors' 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report.

What is the lowest down payment for a house?

A conventional loan down payment could be as little as 3 percent. FHA loans require as little as 3.5 percent, and VA loans and USDA loans have no down payment requirement at all. Most homeowners don't put 20 percent down.

How much should I have saved for a first-time home buyer?

It's a good idea to put away anywhere from 25% to 30% of your home's purchase price to account for your down payment, closing costs and other assorted expenses. Aiming to save 25% should cover the bare minimum – a 20% down payment, plus 5% in closing costs.

How do you know if you can afford a house?

Most financial advisors recommend spending no more than 25% to 28% of your monthly income on housing costs. Add up your total household income and multiply it by . 28. At most, you may be able to afford a $1,120 monthly mortgage payment.

Can I afford a 300k house on a 50k salary?

Assuming a down payment of 20%, an interest rate of 6.5% and additional monthly debt of $500/month, you'll need to earn approximately $80,000 to afford a $300,000 house.

Can I afford a house on 70k a year?

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.

Is 30k a year poverty?

The Poverty Threshold in 2024

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services uses the Census Bureau threshold to determine who is eligible for certain government assistance programs, like SNAP (food stamps). Under their guidelines, a family of four is considered impoverished if they earn $30,000 or less per year.

What is $40,000 a year hourly?

If you make $40,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $19.23.

Can I get a mortgage with 50% down and no job?

You can get a mortgage with no job but a large deposit if it makes financial sense for you. If you have a good credit history, lenders may be willing to look past your unemployment if you have cash reserves that will help you pay for the loan.

Can I buy a house making 2000 a month?

Throughout most of California, the cost of living is relatively high. But in the capital city of Sacramento, prospective buyers with a $2,000 monthly housing budget will find plenty of listings.

Can you buy a house right after starting a new job?

Yes, you may be able to get a mortgage if you've just started a new job. While mortgage lenders prefer to see that you have at least two years of solid work history, they understand that employment changes can happen while buying a home.

Is $28 an hour a good salary?

A: It depends on your living expenses, location, and personal financial goals. In the U.S., the median hourly wage is around $22 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, comparatively, $28 an hour could be considered slightly above average based on that data.

What is 500k a year hourly?

If your annual income is $500,000, your hourly wage will stand at about $240.40 or $1,923.22 a day. This calculation is based on the assumption that you are working 40 hours per week. There are 52 weeks in a year, so we need to multiply 52 by 40 to get the number of working hours per year, which is 2,080 hours.