A mortgage is a loan secured by property or real estate. A mortgage is usually paid back with monthly payments that usually include principal, interest, insurance, and taxes. The principal is the amount of the loan, and the interest is what it costs you to borrow the money for the month. The taxes are a percentage of the value of the property and remitted to your local government, while the insurance covers the mortgage amount in case of default by the borrower as well as property loss from hazards. The tax and insurance monies may be collected and held in escrow to be paid annually.

How do banks decide how much mortgage money you can borrow? They base their decision of the amount of a mortgage on their estimate of your ability to repay the loan. This estimation is based on your income, available cash, debt, and your credit history. The amount of money banks will loan is usually in the neighborhood of two to four times your annual salary. When applying for a mortgage your debt to income ratio can be a limiting factor. Banks first look at your front-end ratio or how much of your income will be devoted to paying your mortgage. About 28% of your annual income is the amount most banks feel a person can afford to pay for a mortgage, and this of course would cover the amount of the principle, interest, and any escrow payments. You can calculate this yourself by taking your annual salary and multiply by .28 and then divide by 12, this will give you an estimate of the maximum mortgage amount you could be offered.

The back-end ratio will also be taken into consideration as well. This is the amount of your gross income is required to pay all your debts, which could include car payments, credit card payments, personal loans, student loans, alimony, and child support. The amount of your total payments should not exceed 36% of your gross income. This can also be calculated by taking your annual salary and multiplying by .36 and dividing by 12. This will give you your maximum allowable amount of debt.

Well I hope this helps clear up a little of the confusion you may have regarding mortgages, and how much you may be able to borrow.

For even more info on mortgages visit How Much Money Can I Borrow For A Mortgage?

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