So you’ve finally cracked into six figures, and you now dream of finally owning your possessions. Your apartment in Portland, Oregon does not have any more landlords, rent increases, or noisy upstairs neighbors. But you need to know how affordable homes are before browsing your home to buy in Portland, or after leaving a rental house in Beaverton, or first with a salary of $10,000.
Consider a home under $425,000 with a current salary of zero debt, a 20% down payment and 36% debt revenue, with a home of less than $425,000. Of course, this is a simple answer to a more complicated question. How much you can afford on a $10,000 salary depends on the various factors investigated in this Redfin article.
Factors that affect what you can afford:
What is your credit score?
Can I afford most of the down payment?
What is your debt-to-income ratio?
What is the current interest rate?
Where are you trying to live?
How much work do you need at home?
Conclusion: I know what you can afford
What is your credit score?
If you pay cash to your home, skip this section. The seller really doesn’t care about your credit score as long as he can pay the home in full. However, like most Americans, if you need fundraising to move to a new home, your credit score can play a big role in what you can afford.
Exception (800+): You are eligible for the highest rates available and you can choose a lender. Very good (740-799): These borrowers also tend to qualify for high-quality interest rates (670-739): This is where a slight increase in interest rates begins to appear, but this range is considered favorable. FAIR (580-669): Interest rates in this range may begin to increase further. Poor (below 579): If you are in this range, you can pay a lot of interest and secure a mortgage.
Don’t worry if your credit score is heading towards the bottom edge of this range. There’s still so much you can do to improve it and save thousands of people with a mortgage. If you want to improve your credit score, make sure you pay your loan on time, don’t get too close to your credit limits, and don’t reduce your outstanding debt.
In short, a higher credit score will allow you to qualify for a better loan at a lower interest rate and you can afford a higher asking price home.
Can I afford most of the down payment?
The size of the down payment directly affects the amount of home you can afford with a $10,000 salary. If you can save on the coveted 20% down payment, you can avoid paying private mortgage insurance (PMI). Most lenders will need to purchase a PMI as their down payment is less than 20%. PMI is designed to protect lenders’ investments, but once the 20% down payment threshold is reached, you can abandon this extra cost.
The bigger your down payment, the more you often see cheaper monthly payments on your mortgage. Therefore, in many cases, it is best to suppress all your money as much as possible without tying it into your property.
Bottom line: If you can afford it and still have enough savings to cover the emergency costs, aim to pay a 20% down payment. The larger the down payment, the smaller the monthly mortgage payments.
What is your debt-to-income ratio?
The Debt Income (DTI) ratio is a way to compare monthly debt payments with monthly total income. Lenders use this ratio as a way to determine their ability to pay off their loans. High DTIs can improve mortgage rates, while low DTIs will increase your ability to manage your debt, making it even more advantageous for lenders. To calculate the DTI, follow the formula below:
dti = (Monthly debt payments/Monthly total income) x 100
Suppose you spend $1,500 a month on your credit card minimum, car payments, and student loans. The annual total income is $100,000, and the monthly total income is $8,333. So your DTI would look like this:
dti = ($1,500/$8,333) *100 = 18%
This means that 18% of your income will pay off your monthly regular debt payments. While most lenders prefer DTIs below 36%, many lenders offer exceptions of up to 45% or 50% of FHA loans.
Use the 28/36 rule
You can get mortgage approval, but it is generally recommended to follow the 28/36 rule. The 28/36 rule states that up to 28% of your monthly total income must be spent on total housing expenses (mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowner insurance premiums, and homeowner association fees).
Following the rules of 28/36, it may increase the likelihood of securing a mortgage at a favorable rate without risking defaulting on debt. When trying to decide how much you can afford for $100,000, it’s important to keep debt in mind. Lenders are careful and may affect the types of properties that can be considered in the price range.
In summary, we aim for a DTI of less than 36%. This means that 36% of your monthly total revenue is spent on paying your debt. Ideally, you’ll only need 28% of the total amount you spend on total housing expenses, but this can be promoted if you’re willing to budget a little more.
What is the current interest rate?
Even a small change in interest rates can help you pay or save thousands of dollars of interest. Higher interest rates will push down the cap on what you can afford, while lower interest rates can give you a little extra wiggle room to grow home at more asking prices.
There may be a temptation to wait and ask yourself constantly. “Is this a good time to buy a house?” Waiting for interest rates to fall is unpredictable and is usually not recommended. The best time to buy a home is when you can afford it. If your rates are reduced and your credits are in good condition, you can always refinance.
Important takeaway: Knowing current interest rates is helpful, but be careful not to paralyze yourself waiting for a decline that may never come. The best time to buy a home look when you can afford it.
Where are you trying to live?
Location, location, location. Depending on where you want to live, your $100k will allow you to get a 3-bedroom home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Of course, your location options can be influenced by where you work. Using remote jobs gives you more flexibility if you are considering moving to another state.
However, you don’t need to move to another state to stretch 100ka a little more. Sometimes living a few extra minutes from the city gives you the opportunity to stretch into a larger house with extra bedrooms and even more land. Location, location, location – there’s a reason real estate agents say so. It is truly an important element of where you chose to live.
Key Points: If you’re willing to live in the more rural areas, you might be able to buy a little more home with your $10,000 salary.
How much work do you need at home?
For those who are useful on Toolbelt and YouTube, buying a house that requires some work will help you bang a little more for your money. However, there are fine lines between homes that require a new paint coat and those that have severe structural damage. Before closing your home, make sure you check your property with the home inspector and report your findings.
In short, if you have the skills and time to sweat, you can get more homes for $10,000.
Conclusion: I know what you can afford
You’ll get all the ideas you need to decide how much you can afford on a $100k salary, so you’re ready to tour the house and create an offer. To understand exactly how much you can afford, play with Redfin’s mortgage calculator, calculate the DTI that works for you, and start looking at homes in the price range you want to settle down.
