Lenders are not searching for borrowers who can’t pay the mortgage back. Before writing a home , lenders will check evidence of income and employment documents to satisfy themselves that the buyer’s income will be able to cover his mortgage payment, homeowners insurance and taxation along with his preexisting debts and monthly expenses.
Function
When a lender calculates how much a $150,000 mortgage, for instance, will charge a borrower every month, she won’t only look at the mortgage payment. The sum that things, Investopedia says, is”PITI”–payments on your mortgage principal; your interest; your house taxes; along with your homeowners and possibly mortgage insurance. Comparing that to your monthly income demonstrates how much loan you can spend.
Size
Most lenders want your PITI to equal no more than 28% of your yearly income, although some will appear as high as 40%, according to Investopedia. If the ratio is too high, lenders fear it will be harder for you to make ends meet and pay the mortgage. Lenders will also look at your debt-to-income ratio, so the proportion of your monthly income taken up by credit card accounts, student loans, child-custody payments along with your PITI. The normal principle is the overall debts should not be greater than 36% of your income.
Potential
To calculate how big a possible mortgage payment you can afford, multiply your annual gross income by 0.28–or every percent your lender prefers–then divide by 12. If you earn $150,000 a year, Bank Rate says, you can afford a monthly PITI of roughly $3,500. To figure the debt-to-income ratio, multiply your gross income by 0.36 and divide by 12; on $150,000 a year, lenders would favor your monthly debts be $4,500 or less. For a loose estimate, Investopedia proposes, assume your whole mortgage may be double to 2.5 times your income–on income of $150,000, you might qualify for $300,000 to $375,000.
Factors
When thinking about how big your mortgage, look to the future, Investopedia advocates. Should you lose your job, have kids or you or your spouse cease working to become a stay-at-home parent, the ratio of PITI payments to monthly income will change sharply. Bear this in mind when determining in the event that you want the biggest mortgage you can possibly afford.
Problem/Solution
If your monthly income isn’t high enough for the mortgage you want, think about making a larger down payment. The larger a down payment you can afford, the better the provisions and the lower the monthly payments you can request, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development states.
