Buying a Home on a $100K Salary: How Much House Can You Afford?

The time to purchase a house is one of the largest financial choices, and when you earn 100K a year, you may be asking yourself: How much house can I buy that costs me 100K a year?‘ Although the annual income of 100,000 dollars is stable, the answer may rely on several factors, including your debt, where you are, the amount saved, and the existing interest rates.

In this guidebook, we will divide affordability based on the 28/36 rule, discuss various price points of homes that you can afford with a $100K salary, and introduce tactics to make the best out of your purchasing power.

The 28/36 Guidelines: A Smart Reference

Many financial advisors advocate for using the 28/36 guidelines when evaluating how much house you can afford.

1. 28% of your gross monthly income should be spent on housing expenses.

• To use an example of someone making $100,000 per year (or approximately $8333 in gross monthly), 28% is $2333.
• During this example, you should plan on $2333 in housing expenses (which includes your mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, and possibly private mortgage insurance [PMI] if applicable).

2. 36% of your gross monthly income can be spent on everything else.

In this same example, your number would be about $2999 per month.

• Since you will be using some of your budgeted $2999 each month with the housing number of $2333, your other debt besides housing (which may include a car payment and student loans and personal loans, credit cards, etc.) should not exceed about $666.
• This will keep you on budget and afford you some extra income to save and have a lifestyle.

Can a $100,000 salary allow you to buy a $400,000 to $500,000 home?

Let’s take a look at some numbers. We are going to assume a 20% down payment and a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate of around 6.5%.

• $400,000 Home Value

Your down payment will be $80,000. Your loan would be $320,000.

Estimated payment of $2,022 (principal and interest).

Overall, with taxes and insurance, you’ll be in the range of $2,333 per month.

• $500,000 Home Value

Your down payment will be $100,000. Your loan would be $400,000.

Estimated payment of $2,528 (principal and interest).

With taxes and insurance, you would exceed the 28% rule.

In summary, while the $400,000 home value would be reasonable for a $100,000 salary, the $500,000 home value would have constraints without other debt being little to insignificant and/or a larger down payment and/or both.

Factors That Influence How Much House You Can Afford

While your income is very important, lenders consider a few other factors:

1. Credit Score

The interest rate varies depending on the higher the credit score. In some cases, consider a 6 per cent mortgage at an initial interest rate of 7 per cent; you may save 200 dollars in any given month at the beginning of a 320,000 mortgage instead of paying 6 per cent. It is 10 to 15 thousand dollars during the term of the 30-year loan.

2. Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI)

Even $100,000 in annual earnings may not be sufficient to send him out of debt. A DTI of less than 36% is ideal, though larger figures, up to 50%, can be agreed to based on the lender. Provided that you manage to maintain low non-housing debt, you will be more likely to borrow.

3. Savings and Down Payment

The less you borrow, the more you save. A homebuyer can pay 20 per cent down, which is best. This saves you money every month, and PMI is avoided, too. As an example, consider a down payment of a home amounting to 80,000 and the cost of a home is 400,000 dollars.

4. Geography

Within the same 100K, you can do so much more in the Midwest than you can in a much pricier city on the coast.

• In places like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, or Kansas City, you can afford a home of a median price easily.
• In cities like San Francisco, Seattle, or New York City, even with a six-figure income, you are unlikely to be able to afford a home at the median home price.

This is an incredibly high salary for renting a home.

Some housing data was used to produce the following list of metro areas where a buyer can purchase a median-priced house with a $100K salary:

• Cincinnati
• Cleveland
• Columbus, OH
• Detroit
• Indianapolis
• Jacksonville, FL
• Kansas City, MO
• Milwaukee
• Philadelphia
• Pittsburgh
• San Antonio
• St Louis
• Tampa, FL
• Virginia Beach, VA

If you are living in a more expensive market, try searching for a starter home – rather than a dream home, as your first home doesn’t have to be your “forever” home. It’s one way to build equity in a home.

Financing Options to Consider

Your 100k salary will qualify you for various types of loans:

Traditional Loans: Your best option when the buyer has an excellent credit score and a 20% down payment.

FHA Loans: Reduced down payments (as low as 3.5%), but they might cost PMI.

VA Loans: VA loans are affordable to veterans, and a down payment is not required.

USDA Loans: These are also available in rural areas with no down payment.

Make sure you preapprove a mortgage first, then house-hunt. This will make sellers know that you are serious and help you learn your actual budget.

Tips to Boost Affordability

1. Before securing a mortgage, improve your credit score.
2. Save well to establish a larger down payment.
3. Your DTI ratio should be reduced as a result of eliminating high-interest debt.
4. Compare lenders – a half-percentage reduction can easily save you thousands of dollars.
5. There needs to be some latitude of space; a certain new, gentler suburb is going to be a lot less expensive than a central location.

Final Thoughts

So, how much house can I afford with a 100K salary?

• Strive to have monthly expenditure on housing of approximately $2,333 or lower.
A house costing in the region of 400,000 dollars is acceptable with a good down payment and minimal other liabilities.
• The price does depend on place, amount of debt, and credit record, and thus you should always do calculations using your own financial basis.

By making over 100K per annum, you are in a good position to afford a house in most of the markets in America. The best first step to home ownership is with sound budgeting, proper planning, and an appropriate mortgage strategy in place.