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Buyers
Home Affordability Calculator
How much house can you actually afford? This calculator uses the US lender standard 36% back-end DTI rule plus your real numbers to give you a confident price range.
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Down Payment Assistance
Search state and local DPA programs you may qualify for.
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How to use this calculator
- Enter your annual gross (pre-tax) income.
- Add your monthly debt payments — car, credit cards, student loans, etc.
- Enter the down payment you've already saved.
- Add the rate and term you'd qualify for.
What your results mean
The maximum home price assumes you spend at most 36% of gross income on total debts (your new mortgage + existing debts). DTI is what lenders care about most. Some will stretch to 43-50% for borrowers with strong credit and reserves.
7 tips for first-time home buyers in the US
- Get pre-approved before shopping — sellers ignore offers without one.
- Budget for closing costs (2-5%) on top of the down payment.
- Leave 3-6 months of reserves in savings after closing.
- Don't open new credit lines while your loan is in underwriting.
- Pay down credit cards to under 30% utilization at least 60 days before applying.
- Look into state first-time buyer programs (down payment assistance, tax credits).
- Get a home inspection — even on new builds.