How Much Should Your Monthly Mortgage Be

Why The 28/36 Rule Of Thumb Generally Works

The 28/36 rule of thumb provides a pretty good guide for lenders to determine how much home you can afford.

As a mortgage lender, one of our jobs is to assess risk and the 28/36 rule is a big part of that, Edelstein said. You can be approved for a mortgage with ratios higher than 28/36, as high as 50% on the back-end. However, risk goes up and in order to be approved with higher ratios, you will have to have a strong credit score and possibly a larger down payment.

So, what is included in the DTI ratios calculation of your monthly debt obligations? Any of the following payments could be factored into your DTI:

• Future mortgage payment
• Alimony and child support payments
• Loans you co-signed for

Your DTI doesnt include utilities, cable, cellphone, and insurance bills.

How Are Mortgage Points Factored Into Advertised Rates

Whether you find a rate on a mortgage lenders website or through a third party, the mortgage rates you see advertised might or might not include points. One rate might even seem attractively low, but that could be due to points already factored in that you might not want to pay. On Bankrate, we specify whether advertised mortgage rates include points so you can make a fair comparison between lenders.

When Do Consumers Choose An Arm

Adjustable-rate mortgages , on the other hand, have interest rates that change depending on market conditions. ARMs usually start with a low introductory rate or teaser period, after which the rate changes annually for the remaining term.

ARMs come in 30-year terms that can be taken as a straight adjustable-rate mortgage with rates that change annually right after the first year. However, borrowers usually take them as a hybrid ARM, which come in 3/1, 5/1, 7/1, and 10/1 terms. For example, if you get a 5/1 ARM, your rate remains fixed for the first 5 years of the loan. After the 5-year introductory period, your rate adjusts every year for the rest of the payment term.

When does taking an ARM make sense? ARMs are usually chosen by consumers who plan to sell their house in a few years or refinance their loan. If you need to move every couple of years because of your career, this type of loan might work for you. ARMs usually have a low introductory rate which allows you to make affordable monthly payments, at least during the teaser period. Before this period ends, you can sell your home, allowing you to avoid higher monthly payments once market rates start to increase.

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Factors That Impact Affordability

When it comes to calculating affordability, your income, debts and down payment are primary factors. How much house you can afford is also dependent on the interest rate you get, because alower interest ratecould significantly lower your monthly mortgage payment. While your personal savings goals or spending habits can impact your affordability,getting pre-qualified for a home loancan help you determine a sensible housing budget.

Save For A 20% Down Payment

You dont need to pay for private mortgage insurance when you put 20% down on your loan. PMI can add quite a bit of money to your monthly payment, so avoiding it can significantly reduce what you pay each month. You may also be able to avoid paying for mortgage insurance if you have a VA loan and pay the funding fee upfront.

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There Aren’t Any Hard

Lindsay VanSomeren is a credit card, banking, and credit expert whose articles provide readers with in-depth research and actionable takeaways that can help consumers make sound decisions about financial products. Her work has appeared on prominent financial sites such as Forbes Advisor and Northwestern Mutual.

If you’re in the market to buy a home, one of the biggest questions to ask yourself is “how much house can I afford?” This is especially important to consider because a lender might be willing to approve you for far more than what you can comfortably pay for.

Many factors can affect how affordable it is for you to buy a home. Lets go through them and help you come up with a solid number for how much home to buy.

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How much house can I afford?

$583,522

This DTI is in the affordable range. Youll have a comfortable cushion to cover things like food, entertainment and vacations.

*DTI is the main way lenders decide how much you can spend on a mortgage.

This DTI is in the affordable range. Youll have a comfortable cushion to cover things like food, entertainment and vacations.

*DTI is the main way lenders decide how much you can spend on a mortgage.

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Additional Buying Costs To Budget For

There are other costs involved with buying a house that you need to make sure you can afford. They include:

• The total purchase cost. On top of the house price, you may have to pay for Stamp Duty, conveyancing fees, surveying, mortgage fees etc, which can all add up to 7% onto the house price.
• Dont forget the estate agent fees you have to pay if you are selling your existing home
• There are also the costs of furnishing your home. On average, home movers spend £5,000 on new goods.
• The cost of building works. What are the emergency works you have to do that cant be put off such as getting the boiler to work?

What Are The Income Requirements For Refinancing A Mortgage

Mortgage refinancing options are reserved for qualified borrowers, just like new mortgages. As an existing homeowner, youll need to prove your steady income, have good credit, and be able to prove at least 20 percent equity in your home.

Just like borrowers must prove creditworthiness to initially qualify for a mortgage loan approval, borrowers have to do the same for mortgage refinancing.

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How To Use The Mortgage Affordability Calculator

To use our mortgage affordability calculator, simply enter you and your partnerâs income , as well as your living costs and debt payments. The calculator can estimate your living expenses if you donât know them.

With these numbers, youâll be able to calculate how much you can afford to borrow. You can change your amortization period and mortgage rate, to see how that would affect your mortgage affordability and your monthly payments.

The Advantages Of Paying 20% Down

• Improves your chances of loan approval: Paying 20% down lowers risk for lenders. A larger down payment also makes you look like a more financially responsible consumer. This gives you better chances of qualifying for a mortgage.
• Helps lower your interest rate: Paying 20% down decreases your loan-to-value ratio to 80%. LTV is an indicator which measures your loan amount against the value of the secured property. With a lower LTV ratio, you can obtain a lower interest rate for your mortgage. This will help you gain interest savings over the life of your loan.
• Reduces your monthly payment: A large down payment also significantly decreases your monthly mortgage payments. Though you spend more now, having lower monthly payments will make your budget more manageable. This gives you room to save extra money for emergency funds, retirement savings, or other worthwhile investments.
• Helps build home equity faster: Paying 20% down means paying off a larger portion of your loan. This allows you to pay off your mortgage sooner. If you plan to make extra payments on your mortgage, having 20% equity will help speed up this process, allowing you to cut a few years off your loan term.
• Eliminates private mortgage insurance : As mentioned earlier, PMI is an added cost on a conventional loan if you pay less than 20% on your mortgage. Consider paying 20% down to avoid this extra fee.

Know the Closing Costs

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Most Affordable Markets For Homebuyers

According to 2020 data fromZillow Research, record low mortgage rates have helped to boost affordability for potential homeowners. The table below shows the top 10 most affordable markets to live in for December 2020 and is based on a typical home value of no more than $300,000 . The market and share of income spent on a mortgage may fluctuate based on the current mortgage rate, the typical local homeowner’s income and the typical local home value.

How To Improve Your Debt

To be comfortable with your mortgage, look for ways to reduce your DTI before you apply for a mortgage.

Lowering your DTI by paying down credit card balances and then never letting those balances exceed 30% of your is one way to do this, according to Valdes.

Its helpful to come up with a plan to pay down debtlike the debt snowball method, where you tackle your smallest debts one at a time while making minimum payments on the others, she said. Creating a budget and cutting back where necessary can also free up extra funds to pay off debt paying off small debts little by little makes a big difference.

Another tip is to space out your loan applications. For example, Edelstein advised against applying for a mortgage when youre also applying for other types of credit, like a new car loan or lease, because the new credit could lower your credit score and raise your DTI.

Here are a few other ways to improve your DTI before applying for a mortgage:

• Pay down your highest balance credit card, or pay smaller amounts to all of your credit card accounts.
• Consider a debt consolidation loan to combine credit cards or other debts at a single interest rate.
• Avoid incurring new debt during the window of time leading up to applying for a mortgage and before you’ve closed on a home.
• Consider ways you could increase your household income, such as negotiating a raise, taking on a part-time job, starting a side hustle, or seeking a higher-paying role with a different employer.

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Get A More Accurate Estimate

Get pre-qualified by a lender to see an even more accurate estimate of your monthly mortgage payment.

• How much house can you afford? Use our affordability calculator to estimate what you can comfortably spend on your new home.

• Pig

  Interested in refinancing your existing mortgage? Use our refinance calculator to see if refinancing makes sense for you.
• Dollar Sign

  Your debt-to-income ratio helps determine if you would qualify for a mortgage. Use our DTI calculator to see if you’re in the right range.

• Award Ribbon VA mortgage calculator

  Use our VA home loan calculator to estimate payments for a VA loan for qualifying veterans, active military, and military families.

Participating lenders may pay Zillow Group Marketplace, Inc. a fee to receive consumer contact information, like yours. ZGMI does not recommend or endorse any lender. We display lenders based on their location, customer reviews, and other data supplied by users. For more information on our advertising practices, see ourTerms of Use & Privacy. ZGMI is a licensed mortgage broker,NMLS #1303160. A list of state licenses and disclosures is availablehere.

How Do I Know If My Mortgage Is Too High

Here’s how to tell if your mortgage is too expensive.

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Work With A Buyers Agent We Trust

For more guidance on buying a house you can afford, work with a real estate agent. A good agent will help you set the right expectations when shopping for a home in your price rangethey may even be able to find you a home sale others dont know about.

For a quick and easy way to find an agent we trust, try our Endorsed Local Providers program. We only recommend agents who actually care about the financial path youre on and wont push you to overspend on a house just so they can bring home a bigger commission check.

About the author

Ramsey Solutions

Ramsey Solutions has been committed to helping people regain control of their money, build wealth, grow their leadership skills, and enhance their lives through personal development since 1992. Millions of people have used our financial advice through 22 books published by Ramsey Press, as well as two syndicated radio shows and 10 podcasts, which have over 17 million weekly listeners.

Consider What You’re Paying For Rent

A less scientific way to get a sense of how much mortgage you can afford, or rather what you are most comfortable with, is to look at what you’re paying for rent, Heather McRae, senior loan officer for Chicago-based CFS Mortgage, tells Parents.

“Are you paying $2,000 per month? How does that monthly amount feel?” says McRae. “Does it feel too high? Would you prefer it be lower? It doesn’t matter if you can qualify for a million-dollar home if you don’t want the hefty monthly payment that comes along with it.”

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How Can I Pay A 200k Mortgage In 5 Years

Regularly paying just a little extra will add up in the long term. Make a 20% down payment. If you dont have a mortgage yet, try making a 20% down payment. Stick to a budget. You have no other savings. You have no retirement savings. Youre adding to other debts to pay off a mortgage. Jun 4, 2019

How Much Should I Spend On A House

Anaffordability calculatoris a great first step to determine how much house you can afford, but ultimately you have the final say in what you’re comfortable spending on your next home. When deciding how much to spend on a house, take into consideration your monthly spending habits and personal savings goals. You want to have some cash reserved in your savings account after purchasing a home. Typically, a cash reserve should include three month’s worth of house payments and enough money to cover other monthly debts. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to start planning out your housing budget:

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Canadas Least Affordable Housing Markets

To the surprise of no one, Vancouver and Toronto top the list of least affordable markets in Canada. Theyâre the only two cities that require more than 40% of the median income to pay for a typical mortgage.

Vancouverâs average home price is $1,011,200, which would cost $3,954 per month and 65% of a householdâs median monthly income .

Toronto fares slightly better than Vancouver. The average Toronto home costs $779,100 while the median income in Toronto is higher than in Vancouver at $6,531.08. A typical Torontonian therefore allots 47% of their income to their mortgage.

Figure Out 25% Of Your Take

Lets say you earn $5,000 a month . According to the 25% rule we mentioned earlier, that means your monthly house payment should be no more than $1,250.

Stick to that number and youll have plenty of room in your budget to tackle other financial goals like home maintenance and investing for retirement.

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Mortgage Payments By State

While some states have relatively low home values, homes in states like California, Hawaii, and New Jersey have much higher home costs, meaning people pay more for their mortgage each month. Additionally, mortgage interest rates vary by state.

Data from the 2018 American Community Survey shows that homeowners paid a median amount of $1,556 per month. This figure includes a mortgage payment, as well as insurance costs, property taxes, utilities, and HOA fees where necessary.

Here’s how all 50 US states stack up:

Does Refinancing Hurt Your Credit

Refinancing will hurt your credit score a bit initially, but might actually help in the long run. Refinancing can significantly lower your debt amount and/or your monthly payment, and lenders like to see both of those. Your score will typically dip a few points, but it can bounce back within a few months.

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Is Buying Mortgage Points A Good Idea

There are a handful of things to consider before you decide to purchase discount points. The break-even point is a good place to start when determining whether itâs worth it for you, but here are some more specific examples of when you might want to consider it.

• You donât plan to sell or refinance anytime soon. If youâre settling down for a while and rates are low enough that you donât anticipate refinancing your mortgage, you may end up staying in the home long after the break-even point. In this case, it makes sense to spend a little more upfront to save in the long run.
• You have the means to buy points. Saving for a down payment while also maintaining an emergency fund and contributing toward other goals, including retirement, can be challenging. If you have the cash to spare, itâs worth considering using some of it to buy down your rate.

On the flip side, there are some situations where itâs likely not a good idea to take advantage of discount points:

Carefully go over all of your options and consider speaking with a mortgage professional to determine if buying discount points is right for you.

Christopher Murray|

Modified date: Nov. 24, 2021

When you start looking to buy a house, youre going to hear all about mortgage rates and how much it sucks that theyre going up, how great it is if theyre going down, or even why low mortgage rates arent always a good thing.

Whats Ahead: