How much home can I afford?
A realistic price range from your income, debts, and savings — using the same debt-to-income guidelines lenders start from, and telling you exactly which number is holding your budget back.
You could afford a home around
$305,137
Your income sets this limit: under this scenario, housing stays near 28% of your gross income.
- Down payment
- $52,000
- Loan amount
- $253,137
- Monthly housing budget
- $2,100.00
- Estimated payment at this price
- $2,100.00
Educational estimate only — not a pre-approval, loan offer, or lending, tax, legal, or insurance advice. What you can borrow depends on your credit, the property, and your lender's review.
How the budget is decided
The 28/36 rule
A common guideline: spend at most 28% of gross income on housing, and at most 36% on all debt payments combined. Lenders use variations of it — the scenarios in this calculator let you try stricter or looser versions.
Why debts matter twice
Car payments and student loans don't just cost money each month — they also shrink the slice of income a lender counts toward housing. Paying down a loan can raise your budget more than saving the same amount.
Cash sets its own limit
Even with a big income, the down payment has to come from somewhere. Your savings, minus what you keep for closing costs and moving, cap the price range a lender will consider.
Once you have a price range, try the mortgage payment calculator to see the monthly cost at a specific price, or the plain-English FAQ.