According to this rule, a household should spend a maximum of 28% of its gross monthly income on total housing expenses and no more than 36% on total debt service, including housing and other debt such as car loans and credit cards.
Most mortgage lenders use an income multiple of 4-4.5 times your salary, some offer a 5 times salary mortgage and a few will use 6 times salary, under the right circumstances to work out how much mortgage you can afford.
The 28% rule states that you should spend 28% or less of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment (e.g. principal, interest, taxes and insurance). To determine how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%.
If you were to use the 28% rule, you could afford a monthly mortgage payment of $700 a month on a yearly income of $30,000. Another guideline to follow is your home should cost no more than 2.5 to 3 times your yearly salary, which means if you make $30,000 a year, your maximum budget should be $90,000.
Applying the 28/36 rule as a guide, you'd need a gross monthly income of at least $4,789 because $1,341 (your total housing expenses) is 28 percent of $4,789. That means if you make approximately $57,471 per year, you would meet the front end ratio.
What is the 50-20-30 rule? The 50-20-30 rule is a money management technique that divides your paycheck into three categories: 50% for the essentials, 20% for savings and 30% for everything else.
So if you earn $70,000 a year, you should be able to spend at least $1,692 a month — and up to $2,391 a month — in the form of either rent or mortgage payments.
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.
The Income Needed To Qualify for A $500k Mortgage
A good rule of thumb is that the maximum cost of your house should be no more than 2.5 to 3 times your total annual income. This means that if you wanted to purchase a $500K home or qualify for a $500K mortgage, your minimum salary should fall between $165K and $200K.
Most experts recommend that you shouldn't spend more than 30 percent of your gross monthly income on rent. Your total living expenses (rent, utilities, groceries and other essentials) should be less than 50 percent of your net monthly household income.
However, the general rule is 28% of your income should be funnelled into your mortgage. Anything above that amount, the average earner might find their financial situation a little uncomfortable. However, this is just a general rule, and your finances may allow for a bigger or smaller percentage.
Edmunds recommends that a new-car payment should be no more than 15 percent of your take-home pay each month and a used-car payment should be no more than 10 percent, but that number varies by expert.
The Rule of 72 is a calculation that estimates the number of years it takes to double your money at a specified rate of return. If, for example, your account earns 4 percent, divide 72 by 4 to get the number of years it will take for your money to double. In this case, 18 years.
If you choose a 70 20 10 budget, you would allocate 70% of your monthly income to spending, 20% to saving, and 10% to giving. (Debt payoff may be included in or replace the “giving” category if that applies to you.) Let's break down how the 70-20-10 budget could work for your life.
The golden rule in determining how much home you can afford is that your monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income (your income before taxes are taken out). For example, if you and your spouse have a combined annual income of $80,000, your mortgage payment should not exceed $1,866.
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.
A person who makes $50,000 a year might be able to afford a house worth anywhere from $180,000 to nearly $300,000. That's because 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.
Your rent does not equal a mortgage payment
Just because you pay $1,000 a month in rent does not mean that you can afford a $1,000 mortgage payment. The true cost of home ownership is often around 40% higher than your mortgage payment alone.
Buyers traditionally put 20% down to lower their interest rate and skirt insurance. The 20% figure comes from the minimum payment most lenders require to avoid paying private mortgage insurance, an extra monthly payment that can cost 0.2% to 2% of the loan's principal balance.
Homeownership increases sustainability and stability. If you are staying at rent, it can mean that you never really know where you will be living for the next few years or what will your expenses be. Staying in the same home provides a better financial and emotional investment in both your community and living space.