Lenders consider your income, debts, credit score, LTV ratio, and affordability to decide how much you can borrow. Understanding these factors helps you prepare for the mortgage application process and make smart decisions about how much you can afford.
To afford a $500,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $125,000 to $160,000, which translates to a gross monthly income of approximately $10,417 to $13,333, depending on your financial situation, down payment, credit score, and current market conditions.
Your monthly and annual household income. Your credit score. Existing debt, including credit cards, car loans and student loans. Your savings and investments, which will help determine how much of a down payment you can afford.
To afford a $400,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $100,000 to $125,000, which translates to a gross monthly income of approximately $8,333 to $10,417. However, this is a general range, and your specific circumstances will determine the exact income required.
The house you can afford on a $70,000 income will likely be between $290,000 to $360,000. However, your home-buying budget depends on quite a few financial factors — not just your salary.
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.
It's not just the cost of the home parceled out over months and years. In fact, your monthly mortgage payment is made up of four main parts: the Principal, the Interest, the Taxes and the Insurance, altogether known as PITI.
Is 50% of take-home pay too much for a mortgage? Paying 50% of your take-home pay on a mortgage is often seen as too high. In general, keeping your housing costs, including your mortgage, below 28% of your gross income is recommended.
If you earn $60K a year, that means you can afford to spend around $180,000 on a house, maybe a bit more if you have little or no other debts. However, depending on where you want to live, interest rates, and how much debt you're carrying, that figure could change significantly.
That monthly payment comes to $36,000 annually. Applying the 28/36 rule, which states that you shouldn't spend more than around a third of your income on housing, multiply $36,000 by three and you get $108,000. So to afford a $500K house you'd have to make at least $108,000 per year.
You'll likely need an annual salary of at least $250,000 to finance a $1 million dollar home with a 30-year mortgage, assuming a 20% down payment and low escrow costs. The income required to purchase a million-dollar home varies based on your location, loan amount, mortgage rate and other affordability considerations.
20% down payment ($160,000) Very good credit score (740-759) 30-year fixed loan at 6.5% Some existing debts (e.g., $500/month in student loans)
In conclusion, the primary factors for mortgage approval are credit score, income, existing debt, and down payment.
Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.
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.
The 35/45 rule
With the 35/45 model, your total monthly debt, including your mortgage payment, shouldn't exceed 35% of your pre-tax income or 45% of your after-tax income. To estimate your affordable range, multiply your gross income before taxes by 0.35 and your net income after taxes by 0.45.
Lenders look at a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio when they consider your application for a mortgage loan. A DTI ratio is your monthly expenses compared to your monthly gross income. Lenders consider monthly housing expenses as a percentage of income and total monthly debt as a percentage of income.
The size of your down payment has a direct impact on the interest rate your mortgage lender sets. The larger the down payment, the lower your interest rate may be. As we've discussed, lenders appreciate large down payments because it lowers their financial risk and shows that you're a motivated buyer.
So, what do lenders look at when deciding to approve or deny an application? Lenders consider four criteria, also known as the 4 C's: Capacity, Capital, Credit, and Collateral. What is your ability to pay back your mortgage?
The Rule of 28 – Your monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income. This is often considered the “Golden Rule,” and many lenders abide by it.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. With a $120,000 annual salary, you could potentially afford a house priced between $450,000 and $500,000, depending on your financial situation, credit score, and current market conditions.
Timing Requirements – The “3/7/3 Rule”
The initial Truth in Lending Statement must be delivered to the consumer within 3 business days of the receipt of the loan application by the lender. The TILA statement is presumed to be delivered to the consumer 3 business days after it is mailed.