Calculators
How much home is right for you?
There are two honest answers: the most a lender will let you borrow, and the amount that actually fits your life. Start with whichever question you came to ask, then compare the two. Free, no login.
Your numbers
This shows the most a lender is likely to approve. It is a ceiling, not a recommendation.
Pay before taxes and deductions. Combine both incomes if buying together.
Car, student loans, and credit card minimums. Rent does not count.
First-time buyers average around 8%. Under 20% adds PMI.
Still building this up? Plan it with the Down Payment calculator →
Comfortable, or just possible?
The same income supports very different homes depending on how much of it you hand to housing. Most buyers feel best below the maximum.
Conservative
About 28% of gross income to housing. Lots of breathing room.
$183,968home price · 28% DTI
Comfortable
Around 36% of gross income. A widely used comfort line.
$245,921home price · 36% DTI
Lender maximum
Up to 43% of gross income. The ceiling, not the goal.
$300,129home price · 43% DTI
Not sure what you really spend?
The number that changes everything here is your real monthly spending. Map it in five minutes, then come back and the budget view will tell the truth.
How this works
Both views start from a monthly housing budget and solve for the home price it supports (principal and interest, property taxes, insurance, and PMI under 20% down). The lender view sets that budget from a debt-to-income ratio: your income times the DTI, minus your existing debts. The budget view sets it from your take-home pay, after the spending and savings you want to protect.
36% DTI is conservative and leaves room for life. 43% is the ceiling most conventional lenders allow.
What this is and isn't
This is an estimate of what a comfortable purchase looks like given your income and debts. It's not a pre-approval. A lender will also look at credit score, employment history, savings reserves, and other factors. Use this to know what price range to shop in before talking to a lender.