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Home prices in Arizona have increased significantly over the past few years. Based on data from the Arizona Residential Multiple Listing Service, the greater Phoenix metro had large increases in home prices since 2015 up through 2021. In some years over that time period, home values rose by over 10% a 12-month span, putting Arizona ahead of all nearly other states.

At the moment, Arizona is regarded as a very competitive market with the average home price getting around $350,000 and increase from five years ago at $211,000. This jump in price looks to be sustainable due to COVID-19 pandemic, lumber shortages, political uncertainties in coastal states, historically low mortgage interest rates, people tired of weather events in the Northeast and Midwest, and Arizona’s strong economy are each contributing elements.

Prices have increased dramatically over the past year and are expected to rise further during the next year.
85249 in Chandler – Home prices are up 43-percent
85201 in Mesa – Home prices are up 43-percent
85268 in Fountain Hills – Home prices are up 47-percent
85255 in Scottsdale – Home prices are up up 51-percent
85253 in Paradise Valley – Home prices are up 59-percent

Because of this trend, home buyers today are quite concerned with being able to afford a home. Basically, they want to know: How much house can I afford to buy in Arizona?

How Much House Can I Afford in Arizona?
When buyers want to know how much they can afford to buy, they’re typically asking two questions at the same time.

What’s the highest monthly mortgage payment I can afford?
What’s the maximum home loan I can qualify for based on my income?

Most financial experts recommend keeping your combined housing expenses at or below one-third of your monthly income. While mortgage lenders (including some state and federal housing agencies) want borrowers to have a maximum debt-to-income ratio (DTI) not above 43%. Your DTI plays a crucial part in your ability to be approve for a home loan and a low interest rate, which may save you a great deal of money throughout the life of the loan.

Keep in mind that these are simply general “rules” that may not apply to your specific circumstance. The best thing to do is to create a personalized home-buying budget.

Your Individual Home Buying Budget
The big question is, how much home can you buy in Arizona without losing your quality of life? You’ll need to figure out this amount prior to starting your home search. The good news is the math is fairly easy.

To start, compare your net monthly income, or “take-home pay,” to your non-housing monthly expenses.
Non-housing expenses include items such as…

Auto or truck payment, insurance, and gas costs
Credit card payments
Groceries, restaurants and entertainment
Savings, IRA & 401K contributions, etc.

Next, deduct these recurring monthly expenses from your take-home pay. What is left over is what is available for your monthly mortgage payment. Needless to say, you probably don’t want to use the entire amount left over for housing expenses. Put an additional amount aside, like three to six months of living expenses, for emergency funds in the bank for unexpected expenses, loss of income, or other financial issues. Remember to factor this in when deciding the maximum home price you are qualified to buy.

Closing Costs and Down Payments
When shopping for a home in Arizona, you also need to think about your down payment and closing costs. These up-front expenses may affect your qualifications to buy a home.

Your down payment might be somewhere within 3% and 20% of the purchase price, depending on the type of home loan you get and additional elements. With the VA loan program, eligible people from the military may qualify for up to 100% financing. Closing costs frequently result from 1% to 3% of the purchase price in Arizona, although they can be more than this in many cases.

Mortgage Considerations: Debt-to-Income Ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, will determine how much of a home you can buy. Mortgage lenders utilize this ratio to make certain you’re not carrying an excessive amount of debt.

An example of a borrower’s DTI is explained here. A person who grosses $5,000 per month, and spends $2,000 on total monthly debts, would have a DTI ratio of 37.5% (because 2000 / 5000 = .40, or 40%).

Today’s banks and conservative mortgage lenders prefer borrowers to have a total or “back-end” DTI no higher than 43%. But there are many lenders and mortgage brokers who offer as much as 50% DTI for borrowers with strong credit histories and substantial cash reserves in a liquid account.

Have Questions About Mortgages in Arizona?
If you are wondering about home loans or are prepared to apply for one, reach out to a licensed professional at 1st Nationwide Mortgage. We are an Orange County based company in Aliso Viejo, California and provide mortgage programs to clients throughout the Grand Canyon state, as well as California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and other states. Please get in touch with us about any of your questions!