Rilian Ball

First Capital Group

  • Home
  • About
  • Buying a Home
  • Main Website
  • Get a Quote
  • Apply
  • Contact

Wondering How Much Mortgage You Can Afford? Here’s How to Calculate It

January 13, 2017 by Rilian Ball

Wondering How Much Mortgage You Can Afford? Here's How to Calculate ItMany people are aware of the financial commitment that is involved when investing in a home, but what that amounts to is different for every person. From what you can afford to what a lender will allow, there are plenty of details involved in determining the right home for you. If you’re not quite sure what the right price is, here’s how to approach home ownership and determine your debt-to-income.

Calculating Your Debt-To-Income Ratio

You may not know what your DTI ratio is, but it has a lot to with how much home you can afford. In order to calculate this amount, add together all the debts you owe each month and divide them by your monthly pre-tax income. For example, if your credit card is $150 and your rent is $900, your debt amount would be $1050. Divide this amount by your income, say $2500, to get 0.42. This means your DTI ratio is 0.42 or 42%.

What Your DTI Means

While a DTI in the high 20s or low 30s is good, anything that hovers above 43 percent may serve as a red flag to the lender. The lower your DTI ratio is, the more likely it is that a lender will approve your mortgage application since you’ll have the disposable income to deal with financial hurdles. If your dream home has you hovering close to this amount, it may be a sign that it’s a bit out of reach.

How Do You Want To Live?

It’s quite common to be taken over when you find your dream home and decide to commit. However, buying a home is a huge financial commitment, and if you’re buying more than you can afford it may drain your well-being over time. Instead of diving in, determine other expenses that are likely to come up in the next few years, whether it’s travel, a child or a new car. It’s important to have the home you want and budget when buying it, but you’ll still need to financial wiggle room in case something comes up.

There are a lot of factors involved in determining how much house you can afford, but by calculating your DTI ratio and being aware of your spending plans, you’ll be well on your way to an ideal price range. If you’re currently on the market for a home, contact one of our mortgage professionals for more information.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: Home Mortgage Tips, Mortgage, Mortgages and Credit

First Capital Logo

Rilian Ball


Branch Manager
First Capital Group
NMLS# 202687

Browse Articles by Category

Get in Touch!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Articles

  • An Overview Of A Wrap-Around Mortgage: What To Know
  • What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 27, 2023
  • 3 Things That Will Absolutely Kill Your Chances for a Mortgage Approval
  • Mortgage Interest Rate Versus APR: What To Know
Rilian Ball
NMLS # 202687

Company NMLS: 35960
www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

Search this website

Loan Options

  • 15 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage
  • 30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage
  • FHA Home Loan
  • VA Home Loan
  • Jumbo Home Loan

Copyright © 2023 · Powered by MySMARTblog