Mortgage Affordability Calculator

Determine how much house you can afford based on your income, debts, and DTI ratios. Calculates max purchase price using front-end and back-end debt-to-income limits.

Fast · Mobile

Inputs

Income & Debts
Loan Terms
Other Costs
DTI Limits (typical: 28/36)

Results

Max home price
$297,328
Max monthly payment
$2,101
Back-end DTI
32.51%
Payment breakdown (at max price)
  • Principal & Interest: $1,579
  • Property Tax: $372
  • Home Insurance: $150
  • HOA: $0
  • Total Housing: $2,101
  • Other Debts: $500
  • Total Obligations: $2,601
DTI Ratios
  • Front-end (housing only): 26.26% (max: 28%)
  • Back-end (all debts): 32.51% (max: 36%)

Tip: Conventional loans typically require 28% front-end and 36% back-end DTI. FHA allows up to 43% back-end.

How to Use This Mortgage Affordability Calculator (Mini Guide)

Determine how much house you can afford based on your income, existing debts, and lender DTI (debt-to-income) limits — so you don't waste time looking at homes outside your budget.

Mini Guide
On this page

What this calculator determines

It calculates the maximum home price you qualify for based on your gross monthly income and total monthly debt payments.

Uses front-end DTI (housing only) and back-end DTI (all debts) to match real lender requirements.

Critical inputs to get right

Gross income: use your actual monthly gross (before taxes), not net.

Monthly debts: include car loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans — anything on your credit report.

DTI limits: conventional loans typically use 28/36, FHA allows up to 43% back-end.

Property tax rate: this varies hugely by location and significantly impacts affordability.

How to interpret results

Max home price is what you qualify for — not necessarily what's comfortable.

If you have high existing debts, back-end DTI will be your limiting factor.

PMI kicks in if down payment is less than 20% — this reduces your buying power.

Next steps

Get pre-approved with a real lender to confirm these numbers.

Consider budgeting for 80% of max — gives you breathing room for life.

Use the Rent vs Buy calculator to see if monthly payments fit your lifestyle.

Try it with local assumptions

Pick a city:

FAQ

What is MAO in wholesaling?
MAO (Max Allowable Offer) is the highest price you can contract a property for while leaving enough room for repairs, your assignment fee, and the end buyer's margin.
What MAO % should I use?
Common heuristics range from 65% to 75% depending on market heat, financing, and rehab risk.
Does this include closing costs?
You can include them in the 'Other costs' field. Different buyers will treat these differently.