What credit score do you need for a 500k mortgage?
To qualify for most types of mortgages, you'll need a credit score of at least 620. Some loan types, such as FHA loans, accept lower scores, but a higher score will almost always get you the lowest available interest rate. And that could save you a significant amount over your loan term.
20% minimum down payment. Lower mortgage rates than many mortgages. No mortgage insurance. Expect to need a minimum credit score of 620+
| Income | for a $500K | |
|---|---|---|
| Interest rate | 7.48% | 7.48% |
| Monthly payment | $4,210 | $4,210 |
| Percentage monthly income for payments | 28% | 40% |
| Required income | $180,429 | $126,300 |
In today's climate, the income required to purchase a $500,000 home varies greatly based on personal finances, down payment amount, and interest rate. However, assuming a market rate of 7% and a 10% down payment, your household income would need to be about $128,000 to afford a $500,000 home.
Mortgage lenders typically want to see a score of 620 or better before approving a conventional mortgage. There are government-insured mortgages if your score is lower, and if your score is 760 or higher you'll qualify for the best interest rates.
That monthly payment comes to $36,000 annually. Applying the 28/36 rule, which states that you shouldn't spend more than around a third of your income on housing, multiply $36,000 by three and you get $108,000. So to afford a $500K house you'd have to make at least $108,000 per year.
You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 720 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
Monthly payments on a $500,000 mortgage by interest rate
At a 7.00% fixed interest rate, your monthly mortgage payment on a 30-year mortgage might total $3,327 a month, while a 15-year might cost $4,494 a month.
An individual earning $60,000 a year may buy a home worth ranging from $180,000 to over $300,000. That's because your wage isn't the only factor that affects your house purchase budget. Your credit score, existing debts, mortgage rates, and a variety of other considerations must all be taken into account.
The annual salary needed to afford a $400,000 home is about $127,000.
What is the 20 down payment on a 500 000 house?
For a $500,000 house, a 20 percent down payment is $100,000 — a large amount, but the more you pay upfront the less you'll have to borrow, and so the lower your monthly payments will be. In addition, if you put down less than 20 percent, you'll likely have to pay an extra monthly fee for private mortgage insurance.
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.
For example, at current mortgage rates, borrowers with an FHA loan and a 10% down payment would need to earn about $70,000 a year to afford a $400,000 house. Borrowers with a conventional loan and a 20% down payment would need a salary of $100,000 or more.
A perfect credit score of 850 is hard to get, but an excellent credit score is more achievable. If you want to get the best credit cards, mortgages and competitive loan rates — which can save you money over time — excellent credit can help you qualify. “Excellent” is the highest tier of credit scores you can have.
| Average FICO 8 Score by Generation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Generation | 2022 | 2023 |
| Generation Z (ages 18-26) | 679 - Good | 680 - Good |
| Millennials (27-42) | 687 - Good | 690 - Good |
| Generation X (43-58) | 707 - Good | 709 - Good |
On a salary of $36,000 per year, you can afford a house priced around $100,000-$110,000 with a monthly payment of just over $1,000. This assumes you have no other debts you're paying off, but also that you haven't been able to save much for a down payment.
The 28% rule
To determine how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%. For example, if you make $10,000 every month, multiply $10,000 by 0.28 to get $2,800. Using these figures, your monthly mortgage payment should be no more than $2,800.
The 28/36 rule dictates that you spend no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income on housing costs and no more than 36 percent on all of your debt combined, including those housing costs.
The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three major credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions.
What is the best credit score to buy a house?
A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.
A 720 credit score on the common credit scoring range of 300-850 is right at the border of “good” and “excellent.” In fact, when your score hits 720, you've just crossed over into the excellent score band. That's great news, unless your score was higher and you're worried about what a loss of points might mean.
And, even when the Fed does start to cut rates, we shouldn't expect a dramatic reduction, according to Jacob Channel, LendingTree's senior economist. Instead, we'll probably see some gradual 25-basis-point cuts here and there. If that happens, rates could fall to closer to 6% by the end of 2024.
As noted above, your estimated monthly payment for a $500K mortgage will be $3,360.16, assuming a 30-year loan term and an interest rate of 7.1%. But this payment could range between $2,600 and $4,900 depending on your term and interest rate.
| Product | Interest rate | APR |
|---|---|---|
| 30-year fixed-rate | 6.767% | 6.849% |
| 20-year fixed-rate | 6.601% | 6.705% |
| 15-year fixed-rate | 6.006% | 6.139% |
| 10-year fixed-rate | 5.875% | 6.097% |
