Some lenders may include your utilities, too, but this would generally be categorized as contributing to your total debts.
To calculate the housing expense ratio, lenders sum up all the housing expense obligations of a borrower, such as operating expenses like future mortgage principal and interest expenses, monthly utilities, property insurance, and property taxes, etc.
The monthly debt payments included in your back-end DTI calculation typically include your proposed monthly mortgage payment, credit card debt, student loans, car loans, and alimony or child support. Don't include non-debt expenses like utilities, insurance or food.
The 30% Rule
If you're a renter, this includes your rent plus any utility costs, such as heat, water, and electricity. If you're a homeowner, your housing expenses include your mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners' insurance, any HOA fees, and utilities.
In most apartments, you will be responsible for paying electricity, gas, and internet/cable bills, while landlords will typically cover the water, sewage and garbage. The cost of this is either lumped into your monthly rent or included as a separate charge in your monthly rental statement.
You must make $5,000 per month to afford a $1,500 monthly rent.
Your mortgage lender might ask for a statement that shows your current address, such as a utility bill or a lease agreement. This helps verify that you truly live where you say you do and have a history of stability.
Your debt-to-income ratio does not factor in your monthly rent payments, any medical debt that you might owe, your cable bill, your cell phone bill, utilities, car insurance or health insurance.
Some people like to think of monthly expenses in terms of the percent of your income they take up, rather than a flat dollar amount. For example, experts have recommended spending less than 30% of your gross monthly income (before tax) on housing, and around 8% to 10% on utilities.
Total housing expense is the sum of a homeowner's monthly mortgage principal and interest payments plus any other monthly expenses associated with their home such as insurance, taxes or utilities.
FHA loans for higher DTI
FHA loans are known for being more lenient with credit and DTI requirements. With a good credit score (580 or higher), you might qualify for an FHA loan with a DTI ratio of up to 50%. This makes FHA loans a popular choice for borrowers with good credit but high debt-to-income ratios.
According to the 28/36 rule, you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36% on all debts. Housing costs can include: Your monthly mortgage payment. Homeowners Insurance. Private mortgage insurance.
The 30% rule says that households should spend no more than 30% of their income on housing costs, including rent and utilities. This housing affordability advice dates back to the 1969 Brooke Amendment, which was passed in response to rental price increases and complaints about public housing services.
Definition and components of the rule
According to the rule, you should only spend 28% or less of your gross monthly income on housing expenses, which include your mortgage payment, property taxes and insurance, and homeowners association fees.
How Much House Can I Afford? If you really want to keep your personal finances easy to manage don't buy a house for more than three times(3X) your income. If your household income is $120,000 then you shouldn't be buying a house for more than a $360,000 list price. This is the price cap, not the starting point.
A utility bill is a monthly payment due for essential services. Public utilities include electricity, water, and natural gas, waste management, recycling, and wastewater. Although some may not think of them as essential utilities, bills such as landline, cell phone and Internet services are also considered utilities.
Your particular ratio in addition to your overall monthly income and debt, and credit rating are weighed when you apply for a new credit account. Standards and guidelines vary, most lenders like to see a DTI below 35─36% but some mortgage lenders allow up to 43─45% DTI, with some FHA-insured loans allowing a 50% DTI.
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.
Telling your lender you've opened up or applied for several new credit cards may not go over so well. Wait until after you finish buying the home to make those big purchases. You don't want to come off as reckless with your spending before getting approval.
What's not included in your monthly mortgage payment? Utilities, homeowner's association fees, and condo association fees are not included in the mortgage payment that you pay to the lender. You're responsible for setting up your utility accounts and paying those separately.
Financial institutions are required to review important information efficiently and accurately when using manual processes, such as identity verification or document checks, including utility bills. Bad actors know that numerous account openings and applications for insurance or loans happen every day.
The rule suggests that your rent should not exceed one-third of your gross monthly income, providing a practical way for both renters and landlords to assess affordability. For example, if you have a gross monthly income of $5,000, the 3X rent rule means you should aim for rent around $1,666 or less.
The standard advice is that you should set aside about 30% of your gross income for rent. So if you make $60,000 a year, your rent should not exceed $1,500. While this might be plenty for an individual living in a low-cost area, it doesn't work for a family in a pricey neighborhood.
According to a study conducted by GoBankingRates, 25% of respondents say they plan to live on just $1500 per month. While this may sound challenging as this amount is close to the poverty level for a family of two, it does not include housing costs.