How Much House Can You Afford?

Banks will approve you for more than you should spend. This calculator uses the 28/36 rule, the same standard conservative lenders and financial planners use, to tell you what you can actually afford without stretching yourself thin.

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Maximum Home Price
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Front-End Ratio
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Limit: 28% of gross
Back-End Ratio
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Limit: 36% of gross
Front-end ratio is your housing costs alone as a percentage of gross income (capped at 28%). Back-end ratio is housing plus all other debt payments (capped at 36%). The calculator uses whichever is more restrictive.
Monthly Payment Breakdown
Principal & Interest $0
Property Tax $0
Home Insurance $0
Total Monthly Housing $0
Key Numbers
Monthly gross income $0
Existing monthly debts $0
Down payment percentage 0%
Binding constraint --
A more comfortable target
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The number above is your ceiling, not your target. A home at 80% of your maximum keeps your budget flexible for maintenance, repairs, and life. The best homeowners are the ones who aren't house-poor.
What the banks won't tell you
Lenders will approve you for the maximum. They profit from larger loans. This calculator uses the 28/36 rule as a hard ceiling, but in practice, keeping your housing costs closer to 25% of gross income gives you room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses. A home should build wealth, not consume it.
This calculator provides estimates based on the 28/36 qualifying rule. Actual mortgage approval depends on credit score, employment history, assets, and lender-specific criteria. Insurance and property tax estimates are approximate. This is not a loan pre-approval. For personalized financial guidance, schedule a consultation.

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