Mortgage Affordability Calculator
See how much home you can afford based on your income, debts, and down payment. Get conservative, moderate, and aggressive estimates.
🧮 Your Financial Details
Your Home Budget
*Estimates based on standard guidelines. Actual approval depends on credit, assets, and lender. Serving Texas & 40+ states.
Understanding Affordability
Key factors lenders use to determine how much you can borrow
📊 Front-End Ratio (28%)
Your housing payment (PITI) divided by gross income. Lenders prefer this under 28% for conventional loans. FHA allows up to 31%.
📈 Back-End Ratio (36-43%)
All monthly debts (housing + car + cards + loans) divided by gross income. Most lenders cap at 43%, but some programs allow up to 50%.
Larger down payments = lower monthly payments = more buying power. 20% down also eliminates PMI, saving $100-$400/month.
Paying off a $400/month car payment could add $70,000+ to your home buying power. Consider debt payoff before house hunting.
Get Your Actual Pre-Approval
This calculator gives estimates. Adam & His Team can run your actual numbers and get you pre-approved with no upfront credit check.
LET’S TALKAffordability FAQ
Common questions about mortgage qualification
What’s the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval?
Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on self-reported info. Pre-approval involves credit check, income verification, and is a stronger offer when house hunting. We offer both—starting with no-credit-check pre-qualification.
We generally recommend the conservative (28% DTI) range to leave room for savings, emergencies, and lifestyle. Just because you CAN borrow $450K doesn’t mean you SHOULD. We’ll help you find the sweet spot.
Pay down debts (especially high-payment items like cars), increase your down payment, improve your credit score for better rates, or consider a co-borrower. Each can significantly impact your max purchase price.
W-2 wages, salary, bonuses (2-year history), commission, self-employment income (2 years tax returns), rental income, retirement/pension, Social Security, alimony/child support, and more. We’ll help identify all qualifying income.
Ready to Get Pre-Approved?
Adam Bartling—Army veteran and mortgage broker—will help you understand your true buying power and find the best loan for your budget.
LET’S TALK