Generally speaking, most mortgage lenders use a 43% DTI ratio as a maximum for borrowers. If you have a DTI ratio higher than 43%, you probably are carrying too much debt because you are less likely to qualify for a mortgage loan.
A 45% debt ratio is about the highest ratio you can have and still qualify for a mortgage.
If your total balance is more than 30% of the total credit limit, you may be in too much debt. Some experts consider it best to keep credit utilization between 1% and 10%, while anything between 11% and 30% is typically considered good.
Generally, it's a good idea to fully pay off your credit card debt before applying for a real estate loan. First, you're likely to be paying a lot of money in interest (money that you'll be able to funnel toward other things, like a mortgage payment, once your debt is repaid).
A single maxed-out credit card, one with 100 percent utilization, may not be reason enough for a lender to deny your application, especially if you have multiple credit cards. However, your overall utilization rate could affect your odds of getting approved for a loan or the terms you receive.
Payment history: Lenders also will review your payment history on credit cards, loans, lines of credit and anything else that shows up on your credit report. They want to make sure you have a track record of on-time payments that could indicate you'll be a responsible mortgage borrower.
Pay off debt first
Paying down as much debt as possible before applying for a mortgage is ideal since it helps consumers improve their credit score, which mortgage lenders use to decide the interest rate a homebuyer will receive.
Better score = better mortgage
By all means, you should pay off that credit card, or at least pay it down. But whatever you do, don't close it. By following the best, and avoiding the worst, score-raising tips, you could soon be seeing a better score lead you to a better mortgage.
The answer is yes. A new credit card application before you close on a home could affect your mortgage application. A mortgage lender will usually re-pull your credit before closing to ensure you still qualify and that new credit was not opened.
Back-end DTIs compare gross income to all monthly debt payments, including housing, credit cards, automobile loans, student loans and any other type of debt.
The average debt for individual consumers dropped from $6,194 in 2019 to $5,315 in 2020. In fact, the average balance declined in every state.
If you want to improve and maintain a good credit score, it's more reasonable to keep your balance at or below 30% of your credit limit. For example, that means your credit card balance should always be below $300 on a credit card with a $1,000 limit.
If you have credit card debt, you're not alone. On average, Americans carry $6,194 in credit card debt, according to the 2019 Experian Consumer Credit Review.
Getting a mortgage with existing debt is possible, depending on how much debt you have and how well you're managing it. Mortgage lenders pay attention to your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which is the percentage of your gross monthly income used to make monthly debt payments.
Effect on Mortgage
When high card limits contribute to high credit scores, mortgage lenders can offer borrowers lower rates. In the same way, high card limits that ding a borrower's credit score makes the loan riskier to the lender. This leads to an offer of a higher mortgage rate.
Credit card debt can impact your ability to qualify for funding when seeking a mortgage. That's partially because the card's interest rates can spiral out of control if payments are missed. Getting a mortgage with credit card debt is really all about determining the risk you present to the lender.
Inquiries stay on your credit reports for two years, but FICO Scores only consider inquiries from the past twelve months—avoiding new credit applications a full year before you apply for a mortgage might be the best option if you want to maximize your scores. New credit accounts will lower your average account age.
Depending on how soon you plan on buying a house, you might be able to apply for a new credit card before. At a minimum, apply for a home mortgage at least three months after you apply for a new credit card. Ideally, wait six months. This waiting period gives your credit score time to rebound from the recent inquiry.
Lenders generally look for the ideal front-end ratio to be no more than 28 percent, and the back-end ratio, including all monthly debts, to be no higher than 36 percent. So, with $6,000 in gross monthly income, your maximum amount for monthly mortgage payments at 28 percent would be $1,680 ($6,000 x 0.28 = $1,680).
Conventional loans require at least three tradelines (any combination of credit cards, student loans, car loans, and so on) that have been active within the past 12-24 months. FHA loans require two tradelines. It's fine to have more, but if you have fewer, you won't qualify for a mortgage.
How much money does the average American owe? According to a 2020 Experian study, the average American carries $92,727 in consumer debt. Consumer debt includes a variety of personal credit accounts, such as credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, and student loans.
It's Best to Pay Your Credit Card Balance in Full Each Month
Leaving a balance will not help your credit scores—it will just cost you money in the form of interest. Carrying a high balance on your credit cards has a negative impact on scores because it increases your credit utilization ratio.
If no minimum payment was given, the lender would multiply the reported balance by 0.05 to determine the card's “monthly obligation.” A $10,000 American Express balance would add $500 to a consumer's obligations, for example.