What credit score is needed for a 500k house?
Most mortgages, including conventional loans, require a credit score of 620 or higher. It's possible to get an FHA loan with a credit score as low as 500, but many lenders require higher scores.
The 30% rule for home buyers
If your annual salary is $100,000, the 30% rule means you should spend around $2,500 per month on your house payment. With a 10% down payment and a 6% fixed interest rate, you could likely afford a home worth around $350,000 to $400,000 (depending on the cost of taxes and home insurance).
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.
Credit score and mortgages
The minimum credit score needed for most mortgages is typically around 620.
You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 720 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
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.
The 28/36 rule
This guideline states that you should spend no more than 28 percent of your income on housing costs, and no more than 36 percent on your total debt payments, including housing costs. (So that would also include credit card bills, car payments and any other debt you may carry.)
Introduction to down payments
It's usually expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. So, if your mortgage requires that you put down, say, 3%, the down payment needed for a $500K house would be $500,000 x 3% = $15,000. And a 20% down payment would require $100,000 ($500,000 x 20% = $100,000).
Lenders generally want your DTI ratio under 36%. This includes your mortgage payment and other debts. To keep your housing costs below 28% of your monthly income, your gross monthly income should ideally be around $10,814. To maintain a 36% DTI ratio, your gross monthly income should be around $8,411.
Mortgage lenders advise not spending over 28% of your monthly income before taxes on housing costs. This is known as the front-end ratio. Now, the down payment is typically somewhere between 5-20% of the total price of the house. So for this $600k house, you'd have to save somewhere from $30,000 to $120,000!
What is a good FICO score?
The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three major credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
Plus, you're likely to get approved for lower interest rates, which can save you money in the long run. According to the latest credit score statistics, the average FICO score is 716, so a 720 is slightly above average. 67% of Americans have a score in this range or higher based on data from Experian®.
You'll usually need a credit score of at least 640 for the zero-down USDA loan program. VA loans with no money down usually require a minimum credit score of 580 to 620. Low-down-payment mortgages, including conforming loans and FHA loans, also require FICO scores of 580 to 620.
Excellent (760-850) – Your credit score will have no impact on your interest rate. You will likely be offered the lowest rate available. Very good (700-760) – Your credit score may have a minimal impact on your interest rate. You could be offered interest rates 0.25% higher than the lowest available.
If you have minimal or no existing monthly debt payments, between $103,800 and $236,100 is about how much house you can afford on $40K a year. Exactly how much you spend on a house within that range depends on your financial situation and how much down payment you can afford to invest.
How much house can I afford with 40,000 a year? With a $40,000 annual salary, you should be able to afford a home that is between $100,000 and $160,000. The final amount that a bank is willing to offer will depend on your financial history and current credit score.
In some regions with a lower cost of living, a $36,000 salary can provide a comfortable lifestyle and the ability to save for the future, making it a good income for your age. However, in high-cost-of-living areas, this salary might require careful budgeting to maintain the same standard of living.
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.
How much house can I get for $1,500 a month?
If you bring the national average down payment of 6% to closing and have a 7.69% rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage, that's just shy of $1,700 a month in principal and interest. What does $1,500 buy with those same terms? About $225,000 worth of house, give or take.
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.
To purchase a $200,000 house, you need a down payment of at least $40,000 (20% of the home price) to avoid PMI on a conventional mortgage. If you're a first-time home buyer, you could save a smaller down payment of $10,000–20,000 (5–10%). But remember, that will drive up your monthly payment with PMI fees.
Ideally, you should make $208,000 or more a year to comfortably manage an $800,000 home purchase, based on the commonly used 28 percent rule (which states that you shouldn't spend more than 28 percent of your income on housing).
| Monthly Pre-Tax Income | Remaining Income After Average Monthly Debt Payment | Estimated Home Value |
|---|---|---|
| $7,000 | $6,400 | $313,000 |
| $8,000 | $7,400 | $360,000 |
| $9,000 | $8,400 | $416,000 |
| $10,000 | $9,400 | $523,000 |
