How much can you afford?

Deciding how much house you can afford is a personal decision. Many factors come into play. How much can I borrow? How much can I put toward my down payment? What size monthly payment am I comfortable with?

There are no black and white answers to these questions. Its a matter of give and take. If you plan on a 30 year mortgage, you can probably make a lower down payment and still manage the monthly payments. If, on the other hand, you plan on a 15 year mortgage, you'll probably want to make a larger down payment to keep your monthly payments in line with what you can afford.

How large a down payment can I make?

Many buyers look at their cash on hand, stocks & bonds, as their only source for their down payment. This simply is not the case. One way to fund or partially fund a down payment is by using a gift. Parents, grandparents and other family members are often eager to help by making a cash gift toward the purchase of your home. Some loan programs will even allow the entire down payment to be gift funds.

Another source may be your 401K or money saved for retirement. A number of retirement programs will let you take out money if it is for the purchase of your primary residence. And, of course, if you are selling a home, the equity you've built up can be applied to your down payment.

What size monthly payment can I afford?

When determining what size monthly payment you can afford, you'll want to consider what other monthly expenses you have. Tangible expenses such as car payments, day care, and utility bills, all play a role in how large a monthly payment you can afford.

There are also the intangible expenses or lifestyle expenses that you'll want to consider. Things such as dining out, travel, and when you buy your next car can effect how much you can afford. Are you willing to curtail or delay some of these expenses in order to afford a larger monthly payment?

How much can I borrow?

This is a question you'll want to get answered before you begin your home search. This is something that we're here to help you with. Our mortgage calculators will help you see how your down payment, monthly payment and the amount you borrow are all interrelated.

We can answer any questions you may have about the mortgage process. The best way we can help is by getting you pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage loan. To get started with minimal information click Quick Quote. We'll guide you through the entire process and help you to purchase your next home. Get started today!