Finder's pick
Apply online for free and lock in your rate for 90 days.
When you’re ready to buy a home, the best way to budget is to understand how much you can realistically afford. That starts with knowing what your monthly payment will look like based on what kind of interest rate you can get from your lender.
You can start by using our calculator to see local rates on the house you want and how that affects your monthly payment.
|
Your loan
|
|---|
| Loan amount |
|
$
|
| Loan terms (in years) |
|
|
| Interest rate |
|
%
|
or
Compare lenders| Principal | $ |
|---|---|
| Interest | $ |
| Total Cost | $ |
Compare top brands by home loan type, state availability and credit score. Select See rates to provide the lender with basic property and financial details for personalized rates. Disclaimer: The partners on Finder's mortgage comparison tables are sorted in alphabetical order.
As a general rule, your mortgage payment shouldn’t exceed one-third of your monthly income. So, with a 20% down payment on a 30-year mortgage and a 7.00% interest rate, you’d need to make at least $96,000 a year before tax. Ultimately, how much you need to make depends on your down payment, loan terms, taxes and insurance.
When you take out a mortgage, you agree to pay the principal and interest over the loan’s life. Your interest rate is applied to your balance, and as you pay down your balance, the amount you pay in interest changes.
Amortization means that a big percentage of your payment is applied to interest at the beginning of your loan. With each subsequent payment, you pay more toward your principal.
Estimate your monthly loan repayments on a $500,000 mortgage at 7.00% fixed interest with our amortization schedule over 15 and 30 years.
| Year | Beginning balance | Monthly payment | Total interest paid | Total principal paid | Total paid throughout the year | Remaining balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $500,000 | $3,327 | $34,839 | $5,079 | $39,918 | $494,921 |
| 2 | $494,921 | $3,327 | $34,472 | $5,446 | $39,918 | $489,475 |
| 3 | $489,475 | $3,327 | $34,078 | $5,840 | $39,918 | $483,635 |
| 4 | $483,635 | $3,327 | $33,656 | $6,262 | $39,918 | $477,373 |
| 5 | $477,373 | $3,327 | $33,203 | $6,715 | $39,918 | $470,658 |
| 6 | $470,658 | $3,327 | $32,718 | $7,200 | $39,918 | $463,458 |
| 7 | $463,458 | $3,327 | $32,197 | $7,721 | $39,918 | $455,737 |
| 8 | $455,737 | $3,327 | $31,639 | $8,279 | $39,918 | $447,458 |
| 9 | $447,458 | $3,327 | $31,041 | $8,877 | $39,918 | $438,581 |
| 10 | $438,581 | $3,327 | $30,399 | $9,519 | $39,918 | $429,062 |
| 11 | $429,062 | $3,327 | $29,711 | $10,207 | $39,918 | $418,855 |
| 12 | $418,855 | $3,327 | $28,973 | $10,945 | $39,918 | $407,910 |
| 13 | $407,910 | $3,327 | $28,182 | $11,736 | $39,918 | $396,173 |
| 14 | $396,173 | $3,327 | $27,333 | $12,585 | $39,918 | $383,589 |
| 15 | $383,589 | $3,327 | $26,424 | $13,494 | $39,918 | $370,094 |
| 16 | $370,094 | $3,327 | $25,448 | $14,470 | $39,918 | $355,624 |
| 17 | $355,624 | $3,327 | $24,402 | $15,516 | $39,918 | $340,108 |
| 18 | $340,108 | $3,327 | $23,281 | $16,638 | $39,918 | $323,471 |
| 19 | $323,471 | $3,327 | $22,078 | $17,840 | $39,918 | $305,630 |
| 20 | $305,630 | $3,327 | $20,788 | $19,130 | $39,918 | $286,500 |
| 21 | $286,500 | $3,327 | $19,405 | $20,513 | $39,918 | $265,987 |
| 22 | $265,987 | $3,327 | $17,922 | $21,996 | $39,918 | $243,992 |
| 23 | $243,992 | $3,327 | $16,332 | $23,586 | $39,918 | $220,406 |
| 24 | $220,406 | $3,327 | $14,627 | $25,291 | $39,918 | $195,115 |
| 25 | $195,115 | $3,327 | $12,799 | $27,119 | $39,918 | $167,996 |
| 26 | $167,996 | $3,327 | $10,838 | $29,080 | $39,918 | $138,916 |
| 27 | $138,916 | $3,327 | $8,736 | $31,182 | $39,918 | $107,734 |
| 28 | $107,734 | $3,327 | $6,482 | $33,436 | $39,918 | $74,298 |
| 29 | $74,298 | $3,327 | $4,065 | $35,853 | $39,918 | $38,445 |
| 30 | $38,445 | $3,327 | $1,473 | $38,445 | $39,918 | $0 |
| Year | Beginning balance | Monthly payment | Total interest paid | Total principal paid | Total paid throughout the year | Remaining balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $500,000 | $4,494 | $34,381 | $19,549 | $53,930 | $480,451 |
| 2 | $480,451 | $4,494 | $32,968 | $20,962 | $53,930 | $459,489 |
| 3 | $459,489 | $4,494 | $31,452 | $22,478 | $53,930 | $437,011 |
| 4 | $437,011 | $4,494 | $29,827 | $24,102 | $53,930 | $412,909 |
| 5 | $412,909 | $4,494 | $28,085 | $25,845 | $53,930 | $387,064 |
| 6 | $387,064 | $4,494 | $26,217 | $27,713 | $53,930 | $359,351 |
| 7 | $359,351 | $4,494 | $24,213 | $29,717 | $53,930 | $329,634 |
| 8 | $329,634 | $4,494 | $22,065 | $31,865 | $53,930 | $297,770 |
| 9 | $297,770 | $4,494 | $19,761 | $34,168 | $53,930 | $263,601 |
| 10 | $263,601 | $4,494 | $17,291 | $36,638 | $53,930 | $226,963 |
| 11 | $226,963 | $4,494 | $14,643 | $39,287 | $53,930 | $187,676 |
| 12 | $187,676 | $4,494 | $11,803 | $42,127 | $53,930 | $145,549 |
| 13 | $145,549 | $4,494 | $8,757 | $45,172 | $53,930 | $100,377 |
| 14 | $100,377 | $4,494 | $5,492 | $48,438 | $53,930 | $51,939 |
| 15 | $51,939 | $4,494 | $1,990 | $51,939 | $53,930 | $0 |
Buying a house is among the biggest investments you’ll make. Know how much you might pay each month on your $500,000 mortgage — including how much of your payment goes toward your interest over the principal — when shopping for a lender.
Learn more about how home loans work in our comprehensive guide to mortgages.
A hybrid mortgage combines elements of fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate mortgages.
Comparing investment returns vs. mortgage savings.
Cornerstone Home Lending offers a standard list of mortgage loans with some portfolio options, but you have to contact a loan officer for rates and fees.
Learn what to look for in a mortgage, what to avoid and what to research if you’re thinking about moving into a retirement community.
Shopping for a new home? Here are seven of the best mortgage lenders in America.
How to successfully transfer your property to someone else.
It’s not just a fairy tale — you can really buy your own castle.
Working out how interest is calculated on a home loan can help you figure out how much you can borrow and how to pay it off sooner.
A change in personal circumstances may make it necessary to remove a name from a property deed. Here’s how to go about it.
