Mortgage Affordability Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate how much home you can afford based on your income, debts, and desired down payment. Understanding your borrowing capacity is a crucial first step in the home-buying process.
Your Estimated Affordability:
Maximum Home Price: $0.00
Estimated Maximum Monthly Mortgage Payment (Principal & Interest): $0.00
Understanding Mortgage Affordability
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make. Before you start browsing listings, it's essential to understand how much you can realistically afford. This involves looking beyond just the sale price and considering your income, existing debts, and the ongoing costs of homeownership.
Key Factors in Affordability
- Annual Household Income: This is the foundation of your borrowing power. Lenders assess your ability to repay based on your consistent income. It's important to consider your total household income if you're buying with a partner.
- Existing Monthly Debt Payments: This includes car loans, student loans, credit card minimum payments, and any other recurring financial obligations. Lenders use these figures to calculate your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, a critical metric in loan approval.
- Down Payment: The larger your down payment, the less you'll need to borrow, which can significantly impact your monthly payments and the total interest paid over the life of the loan. A larger down payment can also help you avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI) if you put down 20% or more.
- Interest Rate: Even a small difference in the interest rate can lead to substantial savings or increased costs over the years. Rates are influenced by market conditions, your credit score, and the loan term.
- Loan Term: This is the length of time you have to repay the loan, typically 15 or 30 years. Shorter terms mean higher monthly payments but less interest paid overall, while longer terms result in lower monthly payments but more interest paid over time.
How Lenders Assess Affordability
Lenders use various metrics, but two common ones are the front-end DTI (housing ratio) and the back-end DTI (total debt ratio).
- Front-end DTI: This ratio compares your potential total housing payment (Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance – PITI) to your gross monthly income. A common guideline is that PITI shouldn't exceed 28% of your gross monthly income.
- Back-end DTI: This ratio compares your total monthly debt obligations (including PITI) to your gross monthly income. A typical guideline is that this total shouldn't exceed 36% of your gross monthly income.
Our calculator uses a simplified approach based on these principles to estimate your affordability. It focuses on the Principal and Interest (P&I) portion of your mortgage payment and uses common DTI benchmarks.
Example Calculation
Let's say a couple has a combined Annual Household Income of $90,000. They have existing Total Monthly Debt Payments of $500 (car loan and credit cards). They plan to make a Down Payment of $40,000. They are estimating an Estimated Annual Interest Rate of 6.5% for a 30-year loan.
- Gross Monthly Income: $90,000 / 12 = $7,500
- Max P&I based on 28% rule: $7,500 * 0.28 = $2,100
- Max Total Debt based on 36% rule: $7,500 * 0.36 = $2,700
- Max P&I allowed based on 36% rule (considering existing debt): $2,700 – $500 = $2,200
- Maximum allowable P&I mortgage payment: The lower of $2,100 and $2,200, which is $2,100.
- Using a mortgage formula, a $2,100 monthly payment at 6.5% for 30 years supports a loan amount of approximately $331,985.
- Estimated Maximum Home Price: $331,985 (loan amount) + $40,000 (down payment) = $371,985
This example suggests they could afford a home priced around $371,985, with an estimated maximum monthly Principal & Interest payment of $2,100. Remember that this estimate does not include property taxes, homeowner's insurance, or potential HOA fees, which will increase your total monthly housing cost.
Important Considerations
This calculator provides an estimate. Your actual borrowing capacity may vary based on the lender's specific underwriting criteria, your credit score, the property's location (affecting taxes and insurance), and the type of mortgage you secure. It's always recommended to speak with a mortgage professional for personalized advice.