The 28% rule The 28% mortgage rule states that you should spend 28% or less of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment (e.g., principal, interest, taxes and insurance).
Example of the 28/36 rule on a $500,000 home
Add another $335 or so to cover the cost of your property taxes and homeowners insurance premium, which will vary depending on where you live, and your housing costs for the month would total $3,145.
The often-referenced 28% rule says you shouldn't spend more than 28% of your gross monthly income on your mortgage payment. Gross income is the amount you earn before taxes, retirement account investments and other pretax deductions are taken out.
Front-end DTI only includes housing-related expenses. This is calculated using your current monthly mortgage or rent payment, including property taxes and homeowners insurance as well as any applicable homeowners association dues.
Some lenders may include your utilities, too, but this would generally be categorized as contributing to your total debts.
According to the 28/36 rule, you or your household should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on total housing costs. You should also avoid paying more than 36% of your gross monthly income toward any debt (including your mortgage payment).
Many of your monthly bills aren't included in your debt-to-income ratio because they're not debts. These typically include common household expenses such as: Utilities (garbage, electricity, cell phone/landline, gas, water) Cable and internet.
FHA loans only require a 3.5% down payment. High DTI. If you have a high debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, FHA provides more flexibility and typically lets you go up to a 55% ratio (meaning your debts as a percentage of your income can be as much as 55%). Low credit score.
What's a good debt-to-income ratio? Ideally, your front-end HTI calculation should not exceed 28% when applying for a new loan, such as a mortgage. You should strive to keep your back-end DTI ratio at or below 36%.
How much debt can I have and still get a mortgage? This varies by lenders. But most prefer that your monthly debts, including your estimated new monthly mortgage payment, not equal more than 43% of your gross monthly income, your income before your taxes are taken out.
If I Make $70,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford? You can afford a home price up to $285,000 with a mortgage of $279,838. This assumes a 3.5% down FHA loan at 7%, a base loan amount of $275,025 plus the FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium of 1.75%, low debts, good credit, and a total debt-to-income ratio of 50%.
“With a general budget, you want to have 50% of your income going toward utilities, mortgage and other essentials,” says Reyes. Keeping your mortgage payment under 30% of your income ensures you have plenty of room for the rest of your needs.
The most common rule for housing payments states that you shouldn't spend more than 28% of your gross income on your housing payment, and this should account for every element of your home loan (e.g., principal, interest, taxes, and insurance).
You may be able to afford a $470,000 home with a mortgage of $446,500 and a total monthly PITI payment of $3,600 which is 36% of your monthly gross income. Your maximum loan amount depends on your debts, interest rate, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues, loan program, and payment comfort level.
If I Make $90,000 A Year What Mortgage Can I Afford? You can afford a home price up to $370,000 with a mortgage of $363,298. This assumes a 3.5% down FHA loan at 7%, financed 1.75% upfront FHA mortgage insurance fee, low debts, good credit, and a total debt-to-income ratio of 50%.
If you have a conventional loan, $800 in monthly debt obligations and a $10,000 down payment, you can afford a home that's around $250,000 in today's interest rate environment.
Lenders, including anyone who might give you a mortgage or an auto loan, use DTI as a measure of creditworthiness. DTI is one factor that can help lenders decide whether you can repay the money you have borrowed or take on more debt. A good debt-to-income ratio is below 43%, and many lenders prefer 36% or below.
Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is how much money you earn versus what you spend. It's calculated by dividing your monthly debts by your gross monthly income. Generally, it's a good idea to keep your DTI ratio below 43%, though 35% or less is considered “good.”
Debt-to-income ratio of 36% or less
With a DTI ratio of 36% or less, you probably have a healthy amount of income each month to put towards investments or savings. Most lenders will see you as a safe bet to afford monthly payments for a new loan or line of credit.
Lenders generally exclude certain debts when calculating a mortgage's debt-to-income (DTI). These debts may include: Debts that you'll pay off within ten months of the mortgage closing date. Debts not reported on credit reports, such as utility bills and medical bills.
A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.
Standards may differ from lender to lender, but there are four core components — the four C's — that lenders will evaluate in determining whether they will make a loan: capacity, capital, collateral and credit.
The good news is that during bankruptcy, an auto loan is generally considered a type of debt that can be discharged if the debtor is struggling to make the payments. This means that the bankruptcy can “wipe away” the auto loan debt so that the filer can make a fresh start.
It does not include health insurance, auto insurance, gas, utilities, cell phone, cable, groceries, or other non-recurring life expenses. The debts evaluated are: Any/all car, credit card, student, mortgage and/or other installment loan payments.