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Mortgage & Real Estate FinancePayment CalculationsMEDIUM

A borrower has a $400,000 mortgage at 5% annual interest, compounded semi-annually, amortized over 25 years. What is the approximate monthly payment?

Correct Answer

B) $2,326

Converting 5% compounded semi-annually to a monthly rate gives (1 + 0.05/2)^(1/6) - 1 = 0.41239%. Applying the payment formula to $400,000 over 300 monthly payments gives $400,000 x 0.0041239 / (1 - 1.0041239^-300) = $2,326.42, or about $2,326. Using 5%/12 as the monthly rate would wrongly assume monthly compounding and give about $2,338.

Answer Options
A
$2,267
B
$2,326
C
$2,418
D
$2,515

Why This Is the Correct Answer

This is correct because the equivalent monthly rate for 5% compounded semi-annually is 0.41239%, and applying the payment formula to $400,000 over 300 months produces $2,326.42, which rounds to $2,326.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

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Key Terms

mortgage paymentsemi-annual compoundingamortizationpayment factoraffordability
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