A 500k house might seem expensive, but it's not in today's market. You can afford a house of 500k by earning anything from $74,607 before tax. However, you must consider several factors such as the downpayment, loan terms and interest rates, debt obligations, and closing costs based on location.
For FHA loans, a down payment of 3.5% is required for maximum financing. So for the same $500,000 home, you would need to come up with at least $17,500. Including the closing costs, you should be putting aside approximately between $27,500 and $28,750 to get the keys to your first home.
By the time you are 35, you should have at least 4X your annual expenses saved up. Alternatively, you should have at least 4X your annual expenses as your net worth. In other words, if you spend $60,000 a year to live at age 35, you should have at least $240,000 in savings or have at least a $240,000 net worth.
Home Costs, Worth and Mortgage Are Substantial Indicators
In other words, if you're worth $500,000 and your home constitutes $450,000 of that, you're middle class.”
When attempting to determine how much mortgage you can afford, a general guideline is to multiply your income by at least 2.5 or 3 to get an idea of the maximum housing price you can afford. If you earn approximately $100,000, the maximum price you would be able to afford would be roughly $300,000.
You can afford a $450,000 house.
On a $70,000 income, you'll likely be able to afford a home that costs $280,000–380,000. The exact amount will depend on how much debt you have and where you live — as well as the type of home loan you get.
I make $90,000 a year. How much house can I afford? You can afford a $270,000 house.
According to Brown, you should spend between 28% to 36% of your take-home income on your housing payment. If you make $70,000 a year, your monthly take-home pay, including tax deductions, will be approximately $4,530.
How much house can I afford on a 120k salary? Keeping the 28/36 rule in mind, a prospective homeowner with a $120,000 income may be able to afford a $1 million home on a 30-year fixed mortgage. That is to say, they could spend up to $33,600 per year on a mortgage.
Safe debt guidelines
So start by doing the math. If you make $50,000 a year, your total yearly housing costs should ideally be no more than $14,000, or $1,167 a month. If you make $120,000 a year, you can go up to $33,600 a year, or $2,800 a month—as long as your other debts don't push you beyond the 36 percent mark.
For the couple making $80,000 per year, the Rule of 28 limits their monthly mortgage payments to $1,866. Ideally, you have a down payment of at least 10%, and up to 20%, of your future home's purchase price. Add that amount to your maximum mortgage amount, and you have a good idea of the most you can spend on a home.
In 2021, the median household income is roughly $68,000. An upper class income is usually considered at least 50% higher than the median household income. Therefore, an upper class income in America is $100,000 and higher.
A $400,000 a year household income puts you in America's top 1.8% income-earners according to the IRS. Therefore, by most metrics, you are considered rich.
75k salary is a good hourly wage when you think about it. When you get a job and you are making about $16 an hour, making over $75,000 a year seems like it would provide amazing opportunities for you. Right? The median household income is $68,703 in 2019 and increased by 6.8% from the previous year (source).
If you're making $115,000 you are above the average American. Depending on your financial goals, you may or may not consider adding additional streams of income.
Therefore, if you want to buy a $2 million house, you need to make at least $667,000 a year. You should also have enough for a 20% down payment, or $400,000, plus a $100,000 cash buffer in case you lose your job. In this low interest rate environment, you can stretch to buy a home up to 5X your annual gross income.
For homes in the $800,000 range, which is in the medium-high range for most housing markets, DollarTimes's calculator recommends buyers bring in $119,371 before tax, assuming a 30-year loan with a 3.25% interest rate.
The usual rule of thumb is that you can afford a mortgage two to 2.5 times your annual income. That's a $120,000 to $150,000 mortgage at $60,000.
Assuming the best-case scenario — you have no debt, a good credit score, $90,000 to put down and you're able to secure a low 3.12% interest rate — your monthly payment for a $450,000 home would be $1,903. That means your annual salary would need to be $70,000 before taxes.
You need to make $240,520 a year to afford a 650k mortgage. We base the income you need on a 650k mortgage on a payment that is 24% of your monthly income. In your case, your monthly income should be about $20,043. The monthly payment on a 650k mortgage is $4,810.
What income is required for a 400k mortgage? To afford a $400,000 house, borrowers need $55,600 in cash to put 10 percent down. With a 30-year mortgage, your monthly income should be at least $8200 and your monthly payments on existing debt should not exceed $981. (This is an estimated example.)
You need to make $203,517 a year to afford a 550k mortgage. We base the income you need on a 550k mortgage on a payment that is 24% of your monthly income. In your case, your monthly income should be about $16,960. The monthly payment on a 550k mortgage is $4,070.