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What you
can afford?
Before you start looking for a new
home, it is important that you become
aware of how much you can afford to pay.
This knowledge will allow you to spend
your valuable time looking productively at
homes which are within your predetermined
price range.
You can calculate a relatively accurate
figure for yourself if you assemble the
following information.
| The CASH and or equity
from your current home you have
saved to be used for this home
purchase called the DOWNPAYMENT. |
$______________ |
| Plus: The amount of
BORROWED MONEY you are able to
arrange. |
$______________ |
| Less: CLOSING COSTS
associated with a real estate
purchase. |
($_____________) |
| Equals: Maximum Price |
$______________ |
The Downpayment
Lending institutions will require you
to make a downpayment of at least 5% to
10% of the purchase price of the home.
Lending policy may vary from time to time.
However, as a general rule, you should
make your cash downpayment as large as
possible. The less money that you borrow,
the smaller your monthly payments. Your
deposit will form part of your downpayment.
The Borrowed Money
Almost everyone who purchases a home
borrows some money needed to pay for it.
The easiest way to determine how much
money you will be able to borrow as a
mortgage loan is to consult with one or
two lending institutions.
These lenders will apply standard
tests, based on your family’s current
income and debts, in order to decide the
amount of money they will lend you. They
will ask for information about your
finances and make a thorough credit check,
in order to be sure you are able to repay
the loan.
How Much Can You Afford to Pay in
Mortgage Payments?
Based on your Income:
Allow no more than 32% of your gross
monthly income (before deductions) to make
your monthly housing payments. This test
of your ability to repay a mortgage loan
is generally referred to as the Gross Debt
Service Ratio. Complete the following
calculation to determine the approximate
amount you will be able to spend for the
mortgage payment, the property taxes and,
where applicable, 50% of the strata
maintenance fees. Some lenders will
require that this total maximum monthly
payment also covers heating costs.
| Your Gross Monthly
Income |
$______________ |
| Spouse’s Gross Monthly
Income |
$______________ |
| Other Income (Monthly)
|
$______________ |
| Total Monthly
Income |
$______________ |
| Multiply the TOTAL
line above by 32% to calculate your:
TOTAL MONTHLY MAXIMUM HOUSING PAYMENT |
$______________ |
Based on your Other Financial
Obligations:
If you have other monthly financial
obligations, such as car or credit card
payments, the lending institution will
also apply the Total Debt Service Ratio
test to determine the maximum mortgage
loan for which you qualify.
Complete the following calculation:
| Your Monthly Housing
Payment as calculated previously |
$______________ |
| Your Monthly Debt
Payments (car, credit card, etc.) |
$______________ |
| TOTAL MONTHLY
PAYMENT |
$______________ |
The total of your monthly housing
payment added to your other monthly debt
payments should not exceed 40% of your
monthly gross income.
The Gross Debt Service Ratio and the
Total Debt Service Ratio tests protect
both you and the lender by ensuring that
you do not take on more debt than you can
reasonably afford to repay.
Many lending institutions will
prequalify you for a specific size and
type of mortgage loan before you begin
searching for your new home. Taking the
time to apply for a pre-approved
mortgage will give you the security of
knowing how much you can afford to spend.
Before concluding the loan agreement
most lending institutions will require an
appraisal of your selected property. The
appraised value is a professional opinion
of the value of the home and may differ
from the purchase price you are willing to
pay. The appraised value may affect the
final size of the loan.
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