$200,000 shock: The staggering deposit needed for a first home (2024)

FAQs

How much down payment do I need for a $200 000 house? ›

To purchase a $200,000 house, you need a down payment of at least $40,000 (20% of the home price) to avoid PMI on a conventional mortgage. If you're a first-time home buyer, you could save a smaller down payment of $10,000–20,000 (5–10%). But remember, that will drive up your monthly payment with PMI fees.

What income is required for a 200k mortgage? To be approved for a $200,000 mortgage with a minimum down payment of 3.5 percent, you will need an approximate income of $62,000 annually.

$206K purchase price with 3% down

In order to keep your home loan at $200,000, you'll need to put down about $6,185, which is 3% of the purchase price. At an interest rate of 6.75%, your mortgage payment would end up around $1,630 per month.

Term Length And A $200K Mortgage

At a 7% interest rate, a 30-year fixed $200K mortgage has a monthly payment amount of $1,331, while a 15-year fixed $200K mortgage at the same interest rate has a monthly payment amount of $1,798.

You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with scores as low as 500. Whether you qualify for a specific loan type also depends on personal factors like your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and income.

The amount you may want to reduce your home's asking price depends on many factors, including the median price in your area, what comparable homes nearby are selling for and the length of time the home has been on the market. According to a Zillow study, the average price cut is 2.9 percent of the list price.

A person who makes $50,000 a year might be able to afford a house worth anywhere from $180,000 to nearly $300,000. That's because your annual salary isn't the only variable that determines your home buying budget. You also have to consider your credit score, current debts, mortgage rates, and many other factors.

A good number to shoot for when saving for a house is 25% of the sale price to cover your down payment, closing costs and moving expenses. (This amount is separate from saving up 3–6 months of your typical living expenses in a fully-funded emergency fund—which I recommend you do first, before saving up for a home.)

If you have minimal or no existing monthly debt payments, between $103,800 and $236,100 is about how much house you can afford on $40K a year. Exactly how much you spend on a house within that range depends on your financial situation and how much down payment you can afford to invest.

But if you do get a mortgage, Dave Ramsey recommends following the 25% rule—remember, that means never buying a house with a monthly payment that's more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay on a 15-year fixed-rate conventional mortgage.

How much should you have left in savings after buying a home? ›

Given all of these factors, most experts recommend having a minimum of 6-9 months' worth of living expenses after closing. Some advise having up to 20% of the home's value leftover in cash reserves, though this is not practical for every home buyer. Ultimately how much you need depends on your own financial situation.

Let's say you currently owe $200,000 on your mortgage and you want to pay it off in 5 years or 60 months. In this case, you'll need to increase your payments to about $3,400 per month.

For a 30-year $200,000 mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 7%, your monthly payments would be about $1,330 (though this figure doesn't include property taxes or homeowners insurance, which could push your payment hundreds of dollars upward).

With a 15-year mortgage, your monthly payment on a $200,000 mortgage at 3.5% jumps to $1,430. At 5% interest, your payment would be $1,582. You can calculate mortgage payments yourself using an online calculator, like Credible's mortgage payment calculator.

If you have minimal or no existing monthly debt payments, between $103,800 and $236,100 is about how much house you can afford on $40K a year. Exactly how much you spend on a house within that range depends on your financial situation and how much down payment you can afford to invest.

Down Payment / Funding Fees

Assuming a $150,000 purchase price, this means you will need a minimum down payment of $5,250. If you are an eligible veteran, you will not have to pay a down payment if you are buying a home with a VA loan.

If you have a conventional loan, $800 in monthly debt obligations and a $10,000 down payment, you can afford a home that's around $250,000 in today's interest rate environment.

Although putting down 20% to avoid mortgage insurance is wise if affordable, it's a myth that this is always necessary. In fact, most people opt for a much lower down payment. Choosing a smaller down payment over becoming “house poor” from a 20% down payment is often the better choice.