Which DTI rule should I pick?

Use Conventional (28/36) for a conservative estimate. FHA (31/43) and VA (41%) reflect those programs’ actual caps. Custom 10–50% lets you stress-test.

Why is my affordability lower than Zillow’s?

This estimate layers in taxes, insurance, maintenance and PMI — costs many quick calculators skip, but you will pay them.

What if I have big monthly debts?

Every dollar of debt payments directly reduces the housing budget under the back-end cap. Debt reduction is the fastest affordability lever.

House Affordability Calculator

Two ways to size your purchase: from household income using front-end/back-end DTI rules (conventional 28/36, FHA 31/43, VA 41% or a custom ratio), or from a fixed monthly housing budget. Taxes, insurance, HOA and PMI are built in.

#how much house can i afford#house affordability#dti#28/36 rule#home budget

Live calculate

Presets

Calculate by

Household income & DTIFixed monthly budget

Annual Household Income

Budget for House

$/ month

Debt-to-Income (DTI) Rule

Custom Back-End DTI

Used when Custom DTI is selected (10–50%).

Mortgage Loan Term

years

Interest Rate

Monthly Debt Payback

Car loans, student loans, card minimums — long-term debts.

Down Payment

Include taxes, insurance & fees below in the housing cost

Property Tax

% / year

HOA or Co-op Fee

% / year

Insurance

% / year

Maintenance Cost

% / year

Live mode: results update as you type.

Affordable Home Price

$344,496

28/36 conventional DTI rule · $2,800/mo housing budget

Home Price: $344,496
Down Payment (20%): $68,899
Loan Amount: $275,597
Principal & Interest: $1,795.22
Property Tax: $430.62
Insurance: $143.54
Maintenance: $430.62
Total Monthly Housing: $2,800.00

Monthly housing cost at your price point

P&I$1,795
Tax$431
Insurance$144
Maintenance$431

Lenders may stretch these DTI caps with strong credit, savings or a large down payment as compensating factors.

Most useful next

Formula

Price = housing budget ÷ cost per $1 of price, where cost/$ = loan share × payment factor + annual cost rates ÷ 12 + PMI

• Payment factor per $1 of loan: r/(1−(1+r)^−n)
• Front-end cap: housing ≤ 28% (conv) or 31% (FHA) of gross income
• Back-end cap: housing + debts ≤ 36%/43%/41% of gross income
• Affordable housing budget = the smaller of the two caps minus existing debt

Pro tips

• Paying off a car loan before applying can raise your buying power more than a raise would.
• Lowering the rate (points, better credit) increases affordability on both constraints.
• Don’t forget closing costs — they’re separate from the down payment.

FAQ

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House Affordability Calculator

#how much house can i afford#house affordability#dti#28/36 rule#home budget

Live calculate

Presets

Calculate by

Household income & DTIFixed monthly budget

Annual Household Income

Budget for House

$/ month

Debt-to-Income (DTI) Rule

Custom Back-End DTI

Used when Custom DTI is selected (10–50%).

Mortgage Loan Term

years

Interest Rate

Monthly Debt Payback

Car loans, student loans, card minimums — long-term debts.

Down Payment

Include taxes, insurance & fees below in the housing cost

Property Tax

% / year

HOA or Co-op Fee

% / year

Insurance

% / year

Maintenance Cost

% / year

Live mode: results update as you type.

Affordable Home Price

$344,496

28/36 conventional DTI rule · $2,800/mo housing budget

Home Price: $344,496
Down Payment (20%): $68,899
Loan Amount: $275,597
Principal & Interest: $1,795.22
Property Tax: $430.62
Insurance: $143.54
Maintenance: $430.62
Total Monthly Housing: $2,800.00

Monthly housing cost at your price point

P&I$1,795
Tax$431
Insurance$144
Maintenance$431

Lenders may stretch these DTI caps with strong credit, savings or a large down payment as compensating factors.

Most useful next

Formula

Price = housing budget ÷ cost per $1 of price, where cost/$ = loan share × payment factor + annual cost rates ÷ 12 + PMI

• Payment factor per $1 of loan: r/(1−(1+r)^−n)
• Front-end cap: housing ≤ 28% (conv) or 31% (FHA) of gross income
• Back-end cap: housing + debts ≤ 36%/43%/41% of gross income
• Affordable housing budget = the smaller of the two caps minus existing debt

Pro tips

• Paying off a car loan before applying can raise your buying power more than a raise would.
• Lowering the rate (points, better credit) increases affordability on both constraints.
• Don’t forget closing costs — they’re separate from the down payment.

FAQ

Related Calculators

More Finance tools you might need.