First, this rule is based on calculating 30% of gross income (before taxes and expenses), not net income, which is what a person collects after taxes, retirement savings, investment fees, and the like. Second, factor escrow expenses and other fees into mortgage payments and rents.
Mortgage lenders often look at gross monthly income to determine how much mortgage you can afford, but it's also important to consider your net income, as well.
Let's look at an example of how your loan term affects your mortgage payment. At a 7% interest rate, a 30-year fixed $200K mortgage has a monthly payment amount of $1,331, while a 15-year fixed $200K mortgage at the same interest rate has a monthly payment amount of $1,798.
Is mortgage interest deductible? In general, yes. The mortgage interest deduction allows you to reduce your taxable income by the amount of money you've paid in mortgage interest during the year.
1. Do mortgage lenders use gross or net income? Mortgage lenders typically use your gross income when determining how much you can afford to borrow. Gross income is your total earnings before any taxes or deductions.
The interest you pay on a mortgage on a home other than your main or second home may be deductible if the proceeds of the loan were used for business, investment, or other deductible purposes. Otherwise, it is considered personal interest and isn't deductible.
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.
Most lenders will require 1-2 years of both personal and business (if applicable) tax returns when assessing your income level. This is because a mortgage loan is a long-term commitment, so they want to be certain that whatever monthly payment amount is agreed upon fits nicely into an affordable budget over time.
On a salary of $100,000 per year, as long as you have minimal debt, you can afford a house priced at around $311,000 with a monthly payment of $2,333. This number assumes a 6.5% interest rate and a down payment of around $30,000. The 28/36 rule is often used as a guide when deciding how much house you can afford.
A mortgage lender will want to see current pay stubs as well as W-2 tax forms for the past two years. If you've recently had a change in pay, such as a raise, you'll also need to get a statement from your workplace confirming that the change is permanent.
You must make $5,000 per month to afford a $1,500 monthly rent.
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 doesn't include taxes or investment fees.
The rule guides how much to withdraw from your portfolio each year and assumes that taxes or fees, if any, are an expense that you pay out of the money withdrawn. If you withdraw $40,000, and have $5,000 in taxes and fees at year-end, that's paid from the $40,000 withdrawn.
The mortgage on a $500,000 house is $2,952 per month toward your mortgage principal and mortgage interest, assuming a 6.86% interest rate and a 30-year fixed term with 10% down.
If your lender offered you a $300,000 loan with a 15-year fixed-rate term at a 7% annual percentage rate (APR), you could expect your monthly payment — principal and interest — to be about $2,696. If you took out a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 7% APR, your payment could be about $1,995.
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.
$48,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $90,000 is the 90th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.
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.
In most cases, you can deduct all of your home mortgage interest. How much you can deduct depends on the date of the mortgage, the amount of the mortgage, and how you use the mortgage proceeds.
As a homeowner, you'll face property taxes at a state and local level. You can deduct up to $10,000 of property taxes as a married couple filing jointly – or $5,000 if you are single or married filing separately. Depending on your location, the property tax deduction can be very valuable.
States offering renter tax deductions
California: Offers a tax credit to renters who paid rent for at least half of the year and meet income thresholds. Single filers earning less than $50,746 and married filers earning less than $101,492 may qualify for a credit of $60–$120.