How Much Money Can I Borrow To Buy A Home?

Definition of "How much money can I borrow to buy a home?"

There’s really no easy and quick answer to “how much money can I borrow to buy a home?”

It will all depend on the overall financial health of the area in question, the financial health of the mortgage company in question and the risk that giving a loan to you will provide to that same company. However, the first two aspects mentioned will weigh less when you apply for a mortgage, after all; everybody wants some profit, right? So, if the overall market condition is good and the financial health of the company is great, they *might* get a portion of their earnings to re-invest to bring even more revenue but the bigger part of it will be converted into profit for its shareholders  not necessarily on making your life easier by loaning you more. That’s capitalism, buddy.

Alright, are you lecturing me or answering how much money can I borrow to buy a home, RealEstateAgent.com?

Ok. Let’s cut to the chase. You will get as much money as the calculations of the mortgage company say you will be able to pay it back in a timely manner. And to figure out how much that means in your case, we will need to figure out what is your risk to the company.

To do that, you'll need to figure out what your gross income is (before taxes) monthly and yearly. To get a quick ballpark figure, take the yearly income of yourself - and your co-purchaser if applicable - and multiply by 2 to 2 1/2. Most people will fall into this category. There are other things to consider, however – like monthly debt payments and home-related expenses like homeowner’s insurance policy cost and homeowner’s association fees, your expected loan term and interest rates. If you have a large down payment combined with little to no bills, the lender may believe that you could afford a more expensive home than the ballpark figure allows.

An important thing to do in order to prepare yourself to lure the mortgage companies into a large loan amount is taking care of your credit score, developing good habits towards it. Once you understand what is a credit score and how does it impact real estate, you will be able to secure, most of the times, not only better deals, but with less hassle.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

Land development planning model theorizing that an urban area grows in rings expanding out from the central business district. The second ring is a shifting area having manufacturing and ...

A backfill defines the act of replacing a vacant lot. People use a backfill as a replacement for an unoccupied position. Backfill in construction and archaeology! The most common ...

To understand what a principal broker is, we have to go back up the family tree of real estate.You do understand all brokers can be real estate agents, but not every real estate agent can ...

What is a balcony? A balcony is a platform that extends outwards from the upper level of a building, typically attached to a wall or supported by columns. Balconies can be made of various ...

national trade association of people engaged in the mortgage banking business, dedicated to the betterment of the mortgage banking industry through education, legislation, and high ethical ...

Received immediately when an investment is made or contract signed. For example, a real estate limited partnership may require that an investor pay a 3% sale fee at the time of initial ...

Are you looking to sell your house or buy a new one? Then, you'll most assuredly encounter the term instrument at some point. If you don't want to ask people: "Please, define instrument to ...

An installment sale of land whereby the seller accepts a mortgage from the purchaser to complete the conveyance. After the mortgage has been satisfied, the deed is conveyed to the ...

Individual having permission to act ob behalf of a bank or other financial institution in a specified locality to attract interest borrowers. ...