What is the minimum down payment for a house in Virginia?
Most buyers will need to put down at least 3% to buy a home in Virginia, as this is the minimum set in place for Conventional loan purchases. If you qualify for a VA or USDA loan, you could be able to buy a home with $0 down.
A conventional loan down payment could be as little as 3 percent. FHA loans require as little as 3.5 percent, and VA loans and USDA loans have no down payment requirement at all. Most homeowners don't put 20 percent down.
“Well, $3,000 is not enough for a down payment on most houses,” says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with WalletHub. “The lowest percentage of down payment required is 3.5% for an FHA loan. So $3,000 would be enough for an approximately $85,000 loan, although that's way below today's median home price.”
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.
Other Virginia first-time homebuyer loans
You can get an FHA loan with 3.5 percent down and a credit score as low as 580. VA loans: For active-duty military, veterans and surviving spouses, a loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a great option.
Eligible borrowers typically include those with debt lower than 41 percent of income, a fairly good credit score above 620, no previous home ownership in the last 36 months, primary residence intent for the property being bought, and the overall financing is 97 percent maximum.
It is definitely possible to do. You can purchase with a “low down payment” loan. Loan programs that require only a 3% down payment are common and I have a major, national lender who even has a 1% program. Going with the 3% program, your $2000 would equal a 3% downpayment on a $66,000 purchase price.
The minimum credit score needed for most mortgages is typically around 620. However, government-backed mortgages like Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans typically have lower credit requirements than conventional fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).
On a salary of $45,000 per year, you can afford a house priced at around $120,000 with a monthly payment of $1,050 for a conventional home loan — that is, if you have no debt and can make a down payment. This number assumes a 6% interest rate.
Conventional loan: Conventional loan requirements for primary residences depend on the lender. Some lenders may require a 5% down payment. Other lenders may require a 3% down payment. If your credit score is 620 or above, your lender may provide lower down payment loan options.
How much house can I afford if I make $36,000 a year?
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.
State | Average down payment (percentage) | Median down payment (dollars) |
---|---|---|
California | 18.40% | $84,244 |
Colorado | 18.50% | $75,304 |
Connecticut | 16.60% | $47,342 |
Delaware | 17.00% | $40,412 |
Annual Salary | $40,000 |
---|---|
Home Purchase Budget (25% monthly income on mortgage payments) | $103,800 |
Home Purchase Budget (28% monthly income) | $109,500 |
Home Purchase Budget (36% monthly income) | $141,100 |
Home Purchase Budget (40% of monthly income) | $156,900 |
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has a down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers who are at or below 80% of the area median income. Qualifying homebuyers may receive a grant worth up to 15% of their home's purchase price, plus up to $2,500 for closing costs.
Qualified first-time buyers can receive 2% to 2.5% of a home's purchase price to apply to a down payment — no repayment required. The grant must be combined with an eligible Virginia Housing loan, and household income limits are considered.
Review Your Debt to Income Ratio (DTI): You can calculate your DTI ratio by dividing the monthly debts by gross monthly income. Virginia mortgage lenders use DTI to evaluate the mortgage amount they can lend you. Most lenders consider a DTI of 36% or less to be safe.
For most loan types, the credit score needed to buy a house is at least 620.
FHA loans are often recommended for first-time homebuyers or those with less-than-stellar credit histories because they're often easier to qualify for, come with more affordable mortgage rates, and require less cash up front to get into a home.
The required credit score to buy a $300K house typically ranges from 580 to 720 or higher, depending on the type of mortgage. For an FHA loan, a popular choice among first-time homebuyers for its lower down payment requirement, the minimum credit score is usually around 580.
Most real-estate experts will tell you to have at least 5% of the cost of a house on hand in savings to account for the down payment. But that's only a minimum, and expectations can differ by community. In a city like New York, for example, minimum down payments are almost always 20%, no less.
How much house can I buy for $2000 a month?
With $2,000 per month to spend on your mortgage payment, you are likely to qualify for a home with a purchase price between $250,000 to $300,000, said Matt Ward, a real estate agent in Nashville. Ward also points out that other financial factors will impact your home purchase budget.
The 28/36 rule refers to the front-end and back-end debt-to-income ratio. The front-end ratio compares your monthly house expenses to your gross monthly income, stating that your household expenses should not exceed 28% of your income.
Credit score range | Average APR | Average loan amount |
---|---|---|
640-659 | 44.50% | $10,010.65 |
620-639 | 62.90% | $6,881.93 |
580-619 | 89.86% | $4,811.89 |
560-579 | 125.18% | $3,147.46 |
A Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan is a home mortgage that is insured by the government and issued by a bank or other lender that is approved by the agency. FHA loans require a lower minimum down payment than many conventional loans, and applicants may have lower credit scores than is usually required. 1.
Following NerdWallet's general guidelines, a good credit score is within the 690 to 719 range on the standard 300-850 scale, regardless of age.
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