20% down payment options
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.
The monthly mortgage payment on a $400,000 mortgage typically falls between $2,600 and $3,300. This range depends on several key factors like your chosen loan program, down payment size, and current interest rates.
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.
A 20% down payment on a $300,000 mortgage is $60,000. The $60,000 down payment is what most lenders look for especially commercial lenders, because it helps mitigate the risk of default.
Putting down this amount generally means you won't have to worry about private mortgage insurance (PMI), which eliminates one cost of home ownership. For a $400,000 home, a 20% down payment comes to $80,000. That means your loan is for $320,000. You can start shopping for a mortgage right away.
If you make $70k a year, you can afford to spend about $1,633 on a monthly mortgage payment — as long as you have less than $500 in other monthly debt payments. You may be able to afford a $302,000 home in a low cost of living area. You may be able to afford a $247,000 home in a high cost of living area.
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.
Your payment should not be more than 28%. of your total gross monthly income. That means you'll need to make 11,500 dollars a month, or 138 k per year.
You can buy a $300,000 house with only $9,000 down when using a conventional mortgage, which is the lowest down payment permitted, unless you qualify for a zero-down-payment VA or USDA loan. Different lenders have different rules, but typically they require a 620 credit score for conventional loan approval.
Assessed home value x mills / 1,000 = property tax
Based on a home value of $400,000 and an example millage rate of 29 mills, you would pay $11,600 in annual property taxes. Depending on where you live, a home's assessed value or market value might be used in this calculation.
Current mortgage interest rates in California. As of Monday, January 13, 2025, current interest rates in California are 7.33% for a 30-year fixed mortgage and 6.61% for a 15-year fixed mortgage.
On a $400,000 mortgage with an interest rate of 6%, your monthly payment would be $2,398 for a 30-year loan and $3,375 for a 15-year one.
Introduction to down payments
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).
For instance, the minimum required down payment for an FHA loan is only 3.5% of the purchase price.
If the total value of your property is above $400,000, then you should stick to the higher end of the scale–1.1 percent. This brings rent to around $4,000 to $5,000 a month, garnering $66,000 per tenant, per yearly lease.
An FHA loan is a type of mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While the government insures these loans, they're underwritten and funded by FHA mortgage lenders. Many big banks and other types of lenders offer them.
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.
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.
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.
With a $40,000 annual salary, you could potentially afford a house priced between $100,000 to $140,000, depending on your financial situation, credit score, and current market conditions.
If you make $70,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $33.65.
FHA Loan Down Payment
They require a minimum down payment of just 3.5%, which is $10,500 for a $300,000 home. Please also note that mortgage insurance premiums are a requirement for all FHA loans. Similar to Private Mortgage Insurance, FHA Mortgage Insurance is in place to protect lenders if a default occurs.