How much income & down payment is needed for a $400k home? (2024)

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How much income & down payment is needed for a $400k home? ›

With a 20% downpayment, a $400,000 house with a 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.5% interest gives you a monthly mortgage payment of around $2,237. These numbers means someone with an $80,000 income could potentially afford a $400,000 home with the 28/36 rule because 28% of $80,000 is $2,240.

Assuming a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage and a 20 percent down payment of $80,000, with a high 6.88 percent interest rate, borrowers must earn a minimum of $105,864 each year to afford a home priced at $400,000. Based on these numbers, your monthly mortgage payment would be around $2,470.

For these calculations, though, we are going to assume that you are putting down 20%. 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.

Monthly payments for a $400,000 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.

Assuming you have a 5% down payment (which is what would be required for an FHA loan) and less than 6% in other debts per month (~$500) you could afford a $400,000 home on a $100,000 salary. This number could change substantially, however, depending on if you have a bigger down payment or less debt.

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 your annual 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.

You typically need at least a 620 credit score to qualify for a conventional loan. Though, the higher your score, the better your chances of getting approved for the best rates. If you have less-than-perfect credit, a government-backed mortgage may be your best option for approval.

The home price you can afford depends on your specific financial situation—your down payment, existing debts, and mortgage rate all play a role. Most experts recommend spending 25% to 36% of your gross monthly income on housing. For a $70,000 salary, that's a mortgage payment between roughly $1,450 and $2,100.

The general guideline is that a mortgage should be two to 2.5 times your annual salary. A $60,000 salary equates to a mortgage between $120,000 and $150,000.

Following the 28/36 rule, a guideline many mortgage lenders use to gauge how much you can afford, you'd likely need to earn at least $90,000 per year to afford a $350,000 house without spreading yourself too thin. Keep in mind that figure does not include upfront payments, like your down payment and closing costs.

Is it hard to get a 400k mortgage? ›

If you want to buy a $400,000 home, your income is important, but so are your total debt payments. Many lenders use what's called the 28/36 rule. This means your mortgage payment shouldn't be more than 28% of your gross monthly income, and your total debt payments shouldn't be more than 36%.

Meanwhile, an FHA loan requires a slightly higher down payment of $14,000, equivalent to 3.5 percent of the purchase price. Home buyers using either a VA loan or a USDA loan can qualify for a mortgage with zero down payment on a $400K home.

Calculating Your Mortgage Repayments on £400k

Remember, your mortgage type and the deposit size will also shape your repayments. Typical scenarios might look like: A mortgage on 400k house with a 4.32% interest rate over 25 years would cost approximately £2183 per month.

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.

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. in order to comfortably afford this 400,000 dollar home.

The 28% rule

To determine how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%. For example, if you make $10,000 every month, multiply $10,000 by 0.28 to get $2,800. Using these figures, your monthly mortgage payment should be no more than $2,800.

In today's climate, the income required to purchase a $500,000 home varies greatly based on personal finances, down payment amount, and interest rate. However, assuming a market rate of 7% and a 10% down payment, your household income would need to be about $128,000 to afford a $500,000 home.