When it comes to buying a house, one of the most important things to consider is how much you can afford to spend. There are several factors that come into play when determining how much house you can afford, but your salary is one of the most important.
In general, financial experts recommend that you spend no more than 28% to 36% of your gross income on housing expenses, including mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and other related costs. This helps ensure that you can afford your monthly housing payments and still have enough money left over for other expenses.
So, how do you calculate how much house you can afford based on your salary?
Let's say you make $100,000 per year. According to the 28% rule, you would multiply $100,000 by 0.28 to get a maximum housing expense of $28,000 per year, or about $2,333 per month.
But keep in mind, this is just a rough estimate.
One thing that many people don't know about how much house they can afford based on their salary is that it's NOT just about their salary. Lenders also look at other factors such as debt-to-income ratio, credit score, employment history, and other debts and expenses when determining how much a person can afford to borrow.
Knowing how much house you can afford before seeing your first home is important, as you may not realize that you can afford more or less home based on your salary. This could save you a lot of time, especially in a hot seller’s market.
Some other factors are just as important as your salary when lenders are determining how much home you can afford.
Debt to Income
One is the debt-to-income ratio. This is a way of measuring the amount of debt you have compared to your income. To find your debt-to-income ratio, you divide your monthly debt payments by your monthly income before taxes and deductions.
For example, if you have $1,500 in debt payments and a monthly income of $5,000, your debt-to-income ratio is 30% ($1,500 ÷ $5,000 = 0.30 or 30%).
Lenders prefer a lower debt-to-income ratio, usually around 43% or lower.
Credit Score
Your credit score is also important because it affects the interest rate you'll pay on your mortgage. The higher your credit score, the lower your interest rate, and the more house you can afford.
Down Payment
Finally, the amount of money you have for a down payment can also impact how much house you can afford. A larger down payment means you'll need to borrow less and potentially get a lower rate, which means your monthly mortgage payments will be lower.
So, while salary is an important factor in determining how much a person can afford to borrow, it's not the only factor that lenders consider. It's important to have a complete understanding of your financial situation and to have a clear plan for paying off debt and managing expenses in order to increase your chances of being approved for a mortgage at a loan amount that you can afford.
And if you are ready to find the perfect home, give us a ring. My team and I will guide you through the process step by step.
