How much income is needed to afford a $500,000 mortgage?
Your income can play a significant role in your home-buying prospects, influencing not only your budget, but also your ability to qualify for a mortgage. To know whether you’re well-positioned to take out a $500,000 mortgage loan, you’ll need to take a look at your income.
Costs of a $500,000 mortgage
The monthly payment on a $500,000 mortgage depends on many factors, including the interest rate you qualify for, your lender, homeowners insurance costs, and property tax rates in your area.
Based on national averages, though, you could expect a monthly mortgage payment — including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance — of about $3,669.
See how that breaks down below:
Keep in mind that your monthly payment is only one cost that comes with buying a house. In addition to your mortgage, you will also need cash for your down payment and closing costs.
The down payment needed to buy a house depends on which type of mortgage loan you get. For example, many lenders allow a 3% down payment on a conventional loan, but 0% for a VA or USDA loan.
As for closing costs, those tend to run between 2% and 5% of your loan amount. That would amount to $10,000 to $25,000 on a $500,000 loan.
How much do you need to earn for a $500,000 mortgage?
Different mortgage lenders and loan programs each have unique rules for how much you need to earn to qualify, but some general guidelines can help you gauge whether you’re in the right ballpark. Below, you’ll learn about three commonly used rules regarding the income needed for a mortgage loan.
28/36 rule
The 28/36 rule is a good rule of thumb to follow when determining how much you need to earn for a mortgage. With this rule, you’ll need to calculate both your front-end and your back-end debt-to-income ratio (DTI).
Your front-end ratio looks at your set housing expenses. Determine what percentage of your monthly pretax income your estimated housing debt will take up. This includes costs such as your mortgage payment and homeowners association (HOA) dues, but not things like utilities or repairs. Ideally, your monthly home expenses would be 28% or less of your monthly pretax income.
Your back-end ratio considers all of your minimum monthly debts, including your housing costs. What percentage of your monthly pretax income do your total debts take up? With the 28/36 rule, you want the back-end ratio to be 36% or lower. The back-end amount should include your proposed mortgage as well as your car loan, student loan, credit card, and other monthly debt payments.
Working backward — and off that estimated monthly payment of $3,669 above — this would mean you’d need an income of about $13,100 per month, or $157,200 per year, to afford a $500,000 mortgage based on current averages.
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Monthly pretax salary: $13,100
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Annual pretax salary: $157,200
35/45 rule
The 35/45 focuses exclusively on your back-end ratio, and it allows for slightly higher debt levels and includes both pre- and post-tax income. This might be a good guideline to consider if you’re looking at a government-backed mortgage, such as an FHA, VA, or USDA loan, which tend to have looser financial requirements than conventional loans.
Under the 35/34, your back-end DTI ratio will need to be 35% or less of your pretax income and 45% or less of your post-tax, take-home income. Based on the estimated monthly payment of $3,669, your pretax monthly income would need to be just under $10,500 per month, or $126,000 per year, to afford a $500,000 mortgage.
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Monthly pretax salary: $10,500
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Annual pretax salary: $126,000
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Monthly post-tax salary: $8,200
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Annual post-tax salary: $98,000
Remember that these are back-end ratios, so if you have other monthly debt obligations, that will change the calculations. The above numbers were calculated using only the mortgage payment of $3,669.
25% rule
The 25% rule only considers your front-end ratio, and it deals with post-tax income — the money you actually bring home after paying taxes. Per this guideline, your proposed housing payment needs to be 25% or less than your total monthly take-home pay.
Based on the estimated monthly payment of $3,669, you would need a monthly post-tax income of nearly $14,700 to afford a $500,000 mortgage loan.
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Monthly post-tax salary: $14,700
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Annual post-tax salary: $176,000
Yahoo Finance Note: These numbers — and those listed above — are just estimates based on averages, so it’s possible you could earn less than these calculations and still qualify for a $500,000 mortgage. Have a loan officer or mortgage broker run the numbers based on your personal finances and home-buying goals. They can help determine exactly how much you can qualify to borrow.
You can also use the Yahoo Finance home affordability calculator below. Enter your salary, debt obligations, and other information to see how much house you can afford. The calculator even shows how much you can comfortably afford and when the price starts to become more and more of a stretch.
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Income needed for a $500,000 mortgage FAQs
How much would a $500,000 mortgage cost per month?
Based on the latest data on average interest rates, insurance premiums, and property tax bills, the monthly payment on a $500,000 mortgage would be roughly $3,669.
Can I afford a $500,000 house on a $120,000 salary?
It depends on the interest rate you qualify for, the mortgage lender you choose, how much your property taxes and insurance premiums cost, and how much other debt you have. Based on recent average rates, insurance premiums, and property taxes, you would probably need a higher salary to comfortably afford a $500,000 mortgage — especially if you have other monthly debt obligations.
How much do I need for a $500,000 mortgage?
Based on recent average interest rates, insurance premiums, and property tax bills, you would need an annual pretax salary of between $126,000 and $176,000 to afford a $500,000 mortgage loan.
Laura Grace Tarpley edited this article.
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