Use this calculator to estimate the maximum mortgage you can afford based on your income, debts, and down payment. Understanding your borrowing power is a crucial first step in your home-buying journey.
Lenders typically look for a DTI between 35% and 43%. This is your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income.
Current market rates can vary. Consult with a lender for precise figures.
Estimate based on local rates, typically 0.5% to 2% of home value annually.
This can vary greatly based on location and coverage.
Include credit card minimums, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, etc.
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function calculateMortgageAffordability() {
var annualIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualIncome").value);
var targetDTI = parseFloat(document.getElementById("debtToIncomeRatio").value) / 100; // Convert percentage to decimal
var downPayment = parseFloat(document.getElementById("downPayment").value);
var interestRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("interestRate").value) / 100; // Convert percentage to decimal
var loanTermYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("loanTerm").value);
var propertyTaxes = parseFloat(document.getElementById("propertyTaxes").value);
var homeInsurance = parseFloat(document.getElementById("homeInsurance").value);
var otherMonthlyDebts = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherMonthlyDebts").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.innerHTML = ""; // Clear previous results
// Input validation
if (isNaN(annualIncome) || isNaN(targetDTI) || isNaN(downPayment) || isNaN(interestRate) || isNaN(loanTermYears) || isNaN(propertyTaxes) || isNaN(homeInsurance) || isNaN(otherMonthlyDebts)) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for all fields.";
return;
}
if (annualIncome <= 0 || targetDTI <= 0 || interestRate < 0 || loanTermYears <= 0 || propertyTaxes < 0 || homeInsurance < 0 || otherMonthlyDebts 1) { // DTI usually not above 100%
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Debt-to-income ratio typically does not exceed 100%.";
return;
}
var grossMonthlyIncome = annualIncome / 12;
var maxTotalMonthlyPayment = grossMonthlyIncome * targetDTI;
var maxMortgagePayment = maxTotalMonthlyPayment – otherMonthlyDebts – (propertyTaxes / 12) – (homeInsurance / 12);
if (maxMortgagePayment 0) {
maxLoanAmount = maxMortgagePayment * (Math.pow(1 + monthlyInterestRate, numberOfPayments) – 1) / (monthlyInterestRate * Math.pow(1 + monthlyInterestRate, numberOfPayments));
} else { // Handle 0% interest rate case (though unlikely for mortgages)
maxLoanAmount = maxMortgagePayment * numberOfPayments;
}
var maxAffordableHomePrice = maxLoanAmount + downPayment;
// Format results
var formattedMaxLoanAmount = maxLoanAmount.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' });
var formattedMaxAffordableHomePrice = maxAffordableHomePrice.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' });
var formattedMaxMortgagePayment = maxMortgagePayment.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' });
var formattedGrossMonthlyIncome = grossMonthlyIncome.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' });
var formattedMaxTotalMonthlyPayment = maxTotalMonthlyPayment.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' });
resultDiv.innerHTML =
"Estimated Maximum Loan Amount: " + formattedMaxLoanAmount + "" +
"Estimated Maximum Affordable Home Price: " + formattedMaxAffordableHomePrice + "" +
"Your maximum total monthly housing payment (Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance) should be around: " + formattedMaxMortgagePayment.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: 'currency', currency: 'USD' }) + " (after accounting for other debts)." +
"Calculated based on a gross monthly income of " + formattedGrossMonthlyIncome + " and a target Debt-to-Income ratio of " + (targetDTI * 100).toFixed(1) + "%." +
"This estimate does not include PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance), HOA fees, or other potential closing costs.";
}
Understanding Mortgage Affordability
Buying a home is a significant financial undertaking, and understanding how much you can realistically afford is the critical first step. A mortgage affordability calculator helps you estimate the maximum loan amount you might qualify for, which then informs the price range of homes you should consider. Several key factors influence this calculation:
Key Factors in Mortgage Affordability:
Annual Household Income: This is the primary driver of your borrowing power. Lenders assess your ability to repay the loan based on your consistent income. It's important to use your total household income if you're applying with a co-borrower.
Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI): This is a crucial metric lenders use. It's calculated by dividing your total monthly debt payments (including the proposed mortgage payment, student loans, car payments, credit card minimums, etc.) by your gross monthly income. A lower DTI generally indicates better financial health and a higher likelihood of loan approval. Common thresholds are around 35% to 43%.
Down Payment: The amount of money you can put down upfront directly affects how much you need to borrow. A larger down payment reduces your loan amount, potentially lowers your monthly payments, and can help you avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) if it's 20% or more of the home's purchase price.
Interest Rate: Even a small difference in the mortgage interest rate can significantly impact your monthly payments and the total interest paid over the life of the loan. Higher interest rates mean higher monthly payments for the same loan amount.
Loan Term: This is the length of time you have to repay the loan, typically 15 or 30 years for mortgages. Shorter loan terms usually have higher monthly payments but result in paying less interest overall.
Property Taxes: These are local government taxes assessed on your property. They are usually paid monthly as part of your mortgage payment (escrowed).
Homeowners Insurance: This insurance protects your home against damage or loss and is also typically paid monthly through escrow.
Other Monthly Debts: Any recurring debt obligations you have (car loans, student loans, personal loans, minimum credit card payments) are factored into your DTI.
How the Calculator Works:
This calculator takes your inputs for income, existing debts, and desired DTI to determine the maximum total monthly payment you can afford for housing (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance). It then subtracts your estimated monthly property taxes, homeowners insurance, and other monthly debts from this maximum housing payment to find the maximum monthly mortgage payment (principal and interest) you can handle. Using mortgage amortization formulas, it then calculates the maximum loan principal you can take on with that monthly payment, given the interest rate and loan term. Finally, it adds your down payment to this maximum loan amount to estimate the highest price home you can afford.
Important Considerations:
This calculator provides an estimate. Actual loan approval amounts can vary based on a lender's specific underwriting guidelines, your credit score, employment history, and other financial factors. It's always recommended to speak with a mortgage professional or lender to get a pre-qualification or pre-approval for a more accurate understanding of your borrowing capacity.