If I Make $100,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford? - This Is Mortgage (2024)

If I Make $100,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford?

You can afford a home price up to $385,000 with a mortgage of $365,750.

This assumes a 5% down conventional loan at 7%, standard mortgage insurance, low debts, good credit, and a total debt-to-income ratio of 45%.

Remember that many factors affect this number including property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, HOA dues, and more. Apply with a lender to find your personalized maximum home price.

See what you can afford with a $100k salary.

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Table Of Contents

  1. $100,000 income mortgage payment breakdown
  2. Home affordability by monthly debt payments
  3. Maximum home price by down payment
  4. Maximum home price by interest rate
  5. Maximum home price by desired debt-to-income level
  6. Ways to increase your buying power
  7. FAQ
  8. You can afford a decent home with a $100,000 salary in many areas

$100,000 income mortgage payment breakdown

Principal and interest payments aren’t the only costs due each month. Many advertisers leave out other expenses like mortgage insurance and property taxes. But you must factor in all costs that lenders do: property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA dues.

Part of paymentAmount
Principal & interest$2,433
Monthly mortgage insurance$162
Taxes$300
Homeowner’s insurance$100
HOA dues$0
Total payment based on these assumptions$2,994

See assumptions for all calculations at the bottom of this article.

Home affordability by monthly debt payments

Your debt level affects your buying power perhaps more than anything else.

For instance, say you have $750 in monthly debt like student loans and credit card payments. This amount of debt isn’t hurting you much. But adding another $500-per-month auto payment would reduce your maximum home price to just $305,000 instead of $385,000.

Lenders can approve you to use up to 45% of your gross monthly income toward debt payments. That’s $3,750 for an annual salary of $100,000. About 36% of your gross income ($3,000) can be used for the house payment leaving about 10% for other debts.

Yearly income$100,000
Monthly income$8,333
Max house payment (36%)$3,000
Max total debt payments (45%)$3,750

Terms you might hear are “36% front-end debt-to-income (DTI) ratio” and “45% back-end DTI.” This just means you’re spending 36% of gross income on the house and 45% on other debt payments. Borrowers with good credit can be approved with higher ratios, but to be safe we are using these numbers.

Following is what you might qualify for depending on your current debt load.

Annual IncomeMonthly DebtMax House PaymentMax Home Price
$100,000$0-$750$3,000$385,000
$100,000$1,250$2,500$305,000
$100,000$1,500$2,250$275,000
$100,000$2,000$1,750$200,000

Related: Buying a Home With Zero Down Payment

Maximum home price by down payment

Your down payment dramatically affects affordability.

For one, your loan balance drops with more down, resulting in a lower monthly payment. Additionally, you pay less mortgage insurance.

Annual IncomeDown PaymentMonthly PaymentHome Price
$100,0003.5% (FHA)$3,000$370,000
$100,0005%$3,000$375,000
$100,00010%$3,000$415,000
$100,00020%$3,000$490,000

No down payment? Check out down payment assistance programs. Start here.

Maximum home price by interest rate

Interest rate is another significant determiner of your maximum home price. If rates drop, it’s a great time to enter your home search.

Annual IncomeInterest RateMonthly PaymentHome Price
$100,0008%$3,000$370,000
$100,0007%$3,000$385,000
$100,0006%$3,000$425,000
$100,0005%$3,000$470,000

Maximum home price by desired debt-to-income level

While many financial gurus suggest you have a debt-to-income of 25% or less, it’s unrealistic in most markets. Pushing your front-end (housing) DTI from 25% to 36% increases your buying power by over $140,000 at an income of $100,000.

Annual IncomeDTIMax PaymentHome Price
$100,00025%$2,083$250,000
$100,00036%$3,000$385,000

Ways to increase your buying power

Here are ways to qualify for a bigger home price.

Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM): As seen above, reducing your rate from 7% to 6% can increase your buying power by $40,000 at your income level. An ARM gives you a fixed rate for a few years while you wait for a chance to refinance or increase your income to afford a potentially higher payment later.

Avoid HOAs. Adding HOA dues to your housing payment could cut your buying power by $50,000 or more.

Put more down or get gift funds. The lower your mortgage balance, the lower your payment will be. Try to find down payment assistance (DPA) programs or get a gift from family to reduce your loan amount.

Use FHA. These loans are lenient on debt-to-income ratios. Conventional loans allow a DTI up to 45% including all debts and total housing payment (50% in select cases). FHA’s max is 56.9% for well-qualified buyers.

Pay off debt: Paying off a $500 car payment can increase your buying power by $70,000.

FAQ

If I make $100,000 per year what mortgage can I afford?

You may be able to afford a $385,000 home with a mortgage of $365,750. Your maximum loan amount depends on your debts, interest rate, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, HOA dues, loan program, and payment comfort level.

Should I pay off debt before I buy a home?

Reducing your debt payments by $500 per month can increase your maximum home price by about $70,000 if you make $100k per year. Paying off debt will help you qualify for a better home that will suit your needs longer.

Do you need good credit to buy a home at $100k salary?

You don’t need a high credit score. An FHA loan requires just a 580 score and allows for high debt-to-income ratios. A conventional loan requires 620. However, a higher credit score will help you qualify for better terms.

You can afford a decent home with a $100,000 salary in many areas

You may have been told that you can’t afford a decent home on $100,000 per year. But if you use creative financing for homeownership and are committed to becoming a homeowner, you can very likely make it happen.

See if you are eligible to buy a home.

All calculations assume a 5% down conventional loan at 7%, $300/mo property taxes and $100/mo insurance, MGIC mortgage insurance factors, 740 credit score, no HOA, $750 or less in monthly debt payments. Your rate and costs will vary.

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    Tim Lucas (NMLS 118763) has 20 years of hands-on mortgage industry experience helping everyone from first-time buyers to experienced investors. He purchased his first home at 26 with just $1,100 out-of-pocket and now owns real estate worth $2.4 million. Tim was the managing editor at national websites TheMortgageReports.com and MyMortgageInsider.com and has been featured in publications such as Time, U.S. News, MSN, and more. He is a licensed loan originator (NMLS 118763). Connect with Tim on LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

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If I Make $100,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford? - This Is Mortgage (2024)

FAQs

If I Make $100,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford? - This Is Mortgage? ›

A $100K salary allows for a $350K to $500K house, following the 28% rule. Monthly home expenses would be around $2,300 with a down payment of 5% to 20%. The affordability of the house will vary based on financial factors and credit scores.

How much of a mortgage can I afford making 100 000 a year? ›

This commonly used guideline states that you should spend no more than 28 percent of your income on your housing expenses, and no more than 36 percent on your total debt payments. If you're earning $100,000 per year, your average monthly (gross) income is $8,333. So, your mortgage payment should be $2,333 or less.

Can I afford a 600k house on 100K salary? ›

A $100K annual salary breaks down to about $8,333 per month. Applying the 28/36 rule, 28 percent of $8,333 equals $2,333. That's notably less than our estimated monthly home payment on a $600,000 house, $3,700, so no, you probably cannot reasonably afford a home purchase of that amount on your salary.

Can I afford a 500k house on 120k salary? ›

To afford a $500,000 house, you need to make a minimum of $91,008 a year — and probably more to make sure you're not house-poor and can afford day-to-day expenses, maintenance and other debt, like student loans or car payments. One good guideline to follow is not to spend more than 28 percent of your income on housing.

Can a family of 4 live on 100K a year? ›

Reams of hard data back up these casual observations: The MIT Living Wage Calculator finds that an L.A. County family of four with two working parents needs to earn at least $125,411 — before taxes — to support the household at a basic standard of living.

Can I afford a 400k house on 100k salary? ›

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.

Is 100k still a good salary? ›

In most of the US, yes, it's a very good salary. As a household salary, it would put you in the top 20% of wage earners.

How much is 100K a year hourly? ›

$100,000 a year is how much an hour? If you make $100,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $48.08.

What income is needed for a 300k mortgage? ›

Following the 28/36 rule, you should make roughly triple that amount to comfortably afford the home, which is $72,000 annually. Keep in mind that these calculations do not include the cash you'll need for a down payment and closing costs.

What is the 28 rule in mortgages? ›

According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance.

What is a good credit score to buy a house? ›

It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly mortgage payments.

What is the 28 36 rule? ›

The 28/36 rule dictates that you spend no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income on housing costs and no more than 36 percent on all of your debt combined, including those housing costs.

How much income do you need for a $550 000 mortgage? ›

As a general guideline, it's often recommended to limit your housing expenditure to no more than about one-third of your income. And so, to determine approximately how much income you would need to afford a $550K home purchase, triple $42,000: You'd need an annual income of at least $126,000.

What is the middle class salary? ›

Middle-class income currently ranges from a little under $40,000 to a little over $119,000. The definition of middle class extends beyond income to factors like education, location and marital status.

What salary is considered rich for a single person? ›

Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.

Can 2 people live on $100,000 a year? ›

Most people can live comfortably on $100K a year. If you live in an area with a high cost of living and/or have a large family or very high expenses and/or debt, it may be more difficult to live comfortably on $100K a year. In either case, it is usually not challenging to afford basic living expenses.

What house can I afford on 110k a year? ›

You can afford a home price up to $420,000 with a mortgage of $399,000. This assumes a 5% down conventional loan at 7%, standard mortgage insurance, low debts, good credit, and a total debt-to-income ratio of 45%.

How much house can I afford if I make $120 000 a year? ›

So, assuming you have enough to cover that down payment plus more left over for upkeep and emergencies — and also assuming your other monthly debts don't take you over that 36 percent figure — you should be able to afford a home of $470,000 on your salary.

What income do you need to buy a 400k house? ›

What income is required for a 400k mortgage? To afford a $400,000 house, borrowers need $55,600 in cash to put 10 percent down. With a 30-year mortgage, your monthly income should be at least $8200 and your monthly payments on existing debt should not exceed $981. (This is an estimated example.)

How much house can I afford if I make $1 million a year? ›

One rule of thumb is to aim for a home that costs about two-and-a-half times your gross annual salary. If you have significant credit card debt or other financial obligations like alimony or even an expensive hobby, then you may need to set your sights lower.

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