#HOUSE BUYING BUDGET CALCULATOR HOW TO#

As an example, with a 3 percent interest rate, a $600,000 mortgage would cost about $2,990 per month.

However, if you’re still in the market to buy a home, higher interest rates mean your monthly mortgage payments will be steeper. Increased rates often dampen homebuyer enthusiasm, or even drive them out of the market entirely, which ultimately drives the cost of homes down. That, in turn, caused mortgage rates to rise as well. Over the past year, the Federal Reserve repeatedly raised interest rates in an attempt to bring down inflation. How do current mortgage rates impact affordability? Lenders tend to give the lowest rates to borrowers with the highest credit scores, lowest debt and substantial down payments. Your housing budget will be determined partly by the terms of your mortgage, so in addition to doing an accurate calculation of your existing expenses, you want to have an accurate picture of your loan terms and shop around to different lenders to find the best offer.

#HOUSE BUYING BUDGET CALCULATOR HOW TO#

How to determine how much house you can afford Just because a lender offers you a preapproval for a large amount of money, that doesn’t mean you should spend that much for your home. Remember that there are other major financial goals to consider, too, and you want to live within your means.

If you only have $500 remaining after covering your other expenses, you’re likely stretching yourself too thin. For example, let’s say that you could technically afford to spend $4,000 each month on a mortgage payment. How much mortgage payment can I afford?Īs you think about your mortgage payments, it’s important to understand the difference between what you can spend versus what you can spend while still living comfortably and limiting your financial stress. What do you do with what’s left? You’ll need to determine a budget that allows you to pay for essentials like food and transportation, wants like entertainment and dining out, and savings goals like retirement. That means your mortgage payment should be a maximum of $1,120 (28 percent of $4,000), and your other debts should add up to no more than $1,440 each month (36 percent of $4,000). The 28/36 percent rule is a tried-and-true home affordability rule of thumb that establishes a baseline for what you can afford to pay every month.For example, let’s say you earn $4,000 each month. Most financial advisors agree that people should spend no more than 28 percent of their gross monthly income on housing expenses, and no more than 36 percent on total debt. Input these numbers into our Home Affordability Calculator to get a clear idea of your homebuying budget. Be accurate about how much you spend because this is a big factor in how much you can reasonably afford to spend on a house. This is all the money that goes out on a monthly basis. The popular choice is 30 years, but some borrowers opt for shorter loan terms. Include annual property tax, homeowners insurance costs, estimated mortgage interest rate and the loan terms (or how long you want to pay off your mortgage).

Next, list your estimated housing costs and your total down payment.

Include all your revenue streams, from alimony to investment profits to rental earnings.

Figure out how much you (and your partner or co-borrower, if applicable) earn each month.

Calculator: Start by crunching the numbers

House buying budget calculator