To comfortably afford a $250,000 house, you'll likely need an annual income between $62,000 to $80,000, 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.
In other words, the purchase price of a house should equal the total amount of the mortgage loan and the down payment. Often, a down payment for a home is expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. As an example, for a $250,000 home, a down payment of 3.5% is $8,750, while 20% is $50,000.
Monthly payments for a $250,000 mortgage
Your monthly payment will depend on your interest rate and loan term — or how long your loan lasts. On a $250,000 fixed-rate mortgage with an annual percentage rate (APR) of 6%, you'd pay $1,498.88 per month for a 30-year term or $2,109.64 for a 15-year one.
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.
You decide to increase your monthly payment by $1,000. With that additional principal payment every month, you could pay off your home nearly 16 years faster and save almost $156,000 in interest.
Make extra house payments.
Let's crunch the numbers. We'll say you have a $240,000, 30-year mortgage with a 7% interest rate and a monthly payment of $1,597 for your principal and interest. If you made an extra payment just once every quarter, you'd pay off your house nearly 15 years early!
The 2% rule states that you should aim for a 2% lower interest rate in order to ensure that the savings generated by your new loan will offset the cost refinancing, provided you've lived in your home for two years and plan to stay for at least two more.
You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with a score as low as 500.
A person who makes $50,000 a year might be able to afford a house worth anywhere from $180,000 to nearly $258,000. That's because your annual salary isn't the only variable that determines your home buying budget. You also have to consider your credit score, current debts, mortgage rates, and many other factors.
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.
To cover the monthly mortgage payment on a $250,000 mortgage, you'll need an income of around $76,000 a year. For the most accurate estimate, you will need to know your exact interest rate, property taxes, home insurance, and home loan term.
In order to be eligible for a $250,000 business loan, you must demonstrate your eligibility. This usually entails giving the bank access to a number of important papers, such as financial statements and information about the revenue and operational history of your company.
Paying a little extra towards your mortgage can go a long way. Making your normal monthly payments will pay down, or amortize, your loan. However, if it fits within your budget, paying extra toward your principal can be a great way to lessen the time it takes to repay your loans and the amount of interest you'll pay.
"Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary has said the ideal age to be debt-free is 45, especially if you want to retire by age 60. Being debt-free — including paying off your mortgage — by your mid-40s puts you on the early path toward success, O'Leary argued.
After paying off your mortgage, you should notify your accountant. You'll no longer have mortgage interest to deduct on your tax return, which could potentially increase your tax liability.
The benefit of paying additional principal on your mortgage is twofold. You'll lower your monthly interest rate expense a bit at a time. Plus, you'll be paying down your outstanding loan balance, thus building your home equity faster, and reducing the total interest over the life of the loan.
It suggests that homeowners who can afford substantial extra payments can pay off a 30-year mortgage in 15 years by making a weekly extra payment, equal to 10% of their monthly mortgage payment, toward the principal.
Some mortgages allow you to overpay as much as you want, but others limit overpayments to a percentage of the amount you owe. On many mortgages, this maximum limit is 10% of the outstanding balance per year. Bear in mind that you could be charged a penalty fee if you overpay by more than the allowed limit.
To purchase a $200,000 house, you need a down payment of at least $40,000 (20% of the home price) to avoid PMI on a conventional mortgage. If you're a first-time home buyer, you could save a smaller down payment of $10,000–20,000 (5–10%). But remember, that will drive up your monthly payment with PMI fees.
Even though interest rates are still high, it's a great time to buy a house. The higher interest rates have priced some buyers out of the market, which means you could face less competition when you make offers. Plus, if interest rates do eventually go down significantly, you can always refinance to get the lower rate.
The amount you borrow with your mortgage is called the principal or the mortgage balance. Each month, part of your monthly payment goes toward paying off the principal and part pays interest on the loan. Interest is what the lender charges you for lending you money.