A down payment of at least 3.5% is required for most FHA purchase loans in California. But the good news is that HUD allows the funds to be gifted from a third party. This means California home buyers can use money donated from friends, family members, or employers to cover part or all of their FHA down payment.
How much down payment for a $300,000 house? The down payment needed for a $300,000 house can range from 3% to 20% of the purchase price, which means you'd need to save between $9,000 and $60,000. If you get a conventional loan, that is. You'll need $10,500, or 3.5% of the home price, with a FHA loan.
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.
“Well, $3,000 is not enough for a down payment on most houses,” says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with WalletHub. “The lowest percentage of down payment required is 3.5% for an FHA loan. So $3,000 would be enough for an approximately $85,000 loan, although that's way below today's median home price.”
To afford an $800,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $200,000 to $260,000, 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.
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.
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.
It's usually expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. So, if your mortgage requires that you put down, say, 3%, the down payment needed for a $500K house would be $500,000 x 3% = $15,000. And a 20% down payment would require $100,000 ($500,000 x 20% = $100,000).
Putting down 20% of the home's purchase price is a traditional and ideal down payment option. For a $400,000 home, a 20% down payment would be $80,000. This option may help you avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI) and can lead to more favorable loan terms.
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.
For a $500,000 home, you'll likely need a good to excellent credit score: 760+: Best rates and terms. 740-759: Slightly higher rates.
A bigger down payment results in a reduced monthly payment because you're borrowing less overall. That might be more important than ever in today's economy, where higher interest rates have ballooned monthly payments, and the inflationary environment has squeezed budgets.
An FHA loan is a government-backed conforming loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration. FHA loans have lower credit and down payment requirements for qualified homebuyers. For instance, the minimum required down payment for an FHA loan is only 3.5% of the purchase price.
If you have a conventional loan, $800 in monthly debt obligations and a $10,000 down payment, you can afford a home that's around $250,000 in today's interest rate environment.
So, yes, you can use a personal loan for closing costs. However, you can't use it for a down payment, and you must tell your lender that you'll go this route and borrow to pay the closing costs. The lender will include it in your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which is the amount of debt you have relative to your income.
To comfortably afford a $600k mortgage, you'll likely need an annual income between $150,000 to $200,000, 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.
Down Payment Options
Example of down payments on a $250,000 home: 3.5% = $8,750.
For example, let's say you earn $4,000 each month. That means your mortgage payment should be a maximum of $1,120 (28 percent of $4,000), and all of your other debts should add up to no more than $1,440 each month (36 percent of $4,000, which includes your housing payment).
A person making $120,000 may be able to afford a mortgage around $700,000. The mortgage amount you'll qualify for ultimately depends on your credit score, debt and current interest rates.
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.
When it comes to defining a “good” salary, there's no one magic number. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the average salary in the U.S. is $65,470, as of May 2023. Based on this data point, $70K a year is a good salary for a single person — one that puts you above the national average.
FHA loans. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures FHA loans, which allows mortgage lenders to accept a credit score as low as 580 with a 3.5 percent down payment, or 500 with a 10 percent down payment.
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.
If you earn around $50,000 to $60,000 a year or more, you may be in a good position to afford a $150,000 mortgage. But the exact amount you'll be able to borrow — even if you are in that salary range — will likely depend on several other variables as well, including how much debt you have and your credit score.