Enter your income, debts, and preferences to get a personalized safe home price range, estimated monthly payment, and risk assessment — all calculated instantly.
Updated May 2026
Use gross (pre-tax) income
Car loans, student loans, credit cards, etc.
As % of home value. National avg ~1.1%
Typical range: $1,000–$3,000/year
Enter 0 if no HOA
How much of your income are you comfortable spending on housing?
Risk Assessment
SafeTotal Housing DTI
33.0%
This home appears affordable based on your income, debt, and selected comfort level.
Recommended Safe Home Price
$410,550
28.000000000000004% housing DTI
Estimated Maximum Home Price
$451,076
36% total DTI
Based on the recommended safe home price of $410,550
Loan Amount (Safe)
$350,550
After down payment
Monthly Income
$10,000
Gross monthly
Safe Housing Budget
$2,800
28.000000000000004% of income
Max Housing Budget
$3,100
After existing debts
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Figuring out how much house you can afford requires more than just looking at the purchase price. Lenders, financial advisors, and smart buyers all focus on the same core metric: your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). This is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes toward debt payments — including your future mortgage.
The most widely used guideline is the 28/36 rule: spend no more than 28% of gross monthly income on housing costs (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance — often called PITI), and no more than 36% on all debt combined. Some lenders allow up to 43% total DTI for conventional loans, but that leaves little financial cushion.
Beyond DTI, your down payment significantly affects affordability. A larger down payment reduces your loan amount, eliminates or reduces PMI (private mortgage insurance), and lowers your monthly payment. Most conventional loans require at least 3–5% down, but 20% is the threshold to avoid PMI.
Don't forget to factor in property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and HOA fees. These costs can add hundreds of dollars per month to your payment and vary significantly by location. This calculator includes all of these to give you a realistic total monthly cost estimate.