Home Affordability Calculator

Home Affordability Calculator

Enter your income, debts, down payment, and rate. The calculator returns your maximum affordable home price and monthly PITI breakdown using California property tax and insurance defaults. For the strategy behind the number, read our How Much House Should You Buy? guide.

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Your Inputs

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All numbers are estimates. Your real loan depends on credit, equity, property type, and current rates. Run the math, then request a free quote.

Results

Max Affordable Home Price $0
Max Loan Amount$0
Estimated Monthly Payment$0
Principal & Interest$0
Tax + Insurance + HOA$0
Comfort Tier
Front-End DTI
Back-End DTI
Get a Real Rate Quote
How to Use It

Affordability Is About Comfort, Not Just Approval

Lenders will often approve you for the largest payment your debt-to-income ratio allows. That ceiling is rarely where you actually want to live. The 28/36 rule keeps housing under 28% of gross income and total debt under 36%, a long-standing benchmark for staying out of "house-poor" territory.

Use the lender-DTI dropdown to see how the same finances translate into different price tiers. Conservative (36%) is the comfortable range. Aggressive (50%) is the upper bound modern programs allow, it works, but it leaves less room for tax bumps, repairs, and life.

Inputs That Move the Number Most

  • Income: front-loaded into the math; a raise has a bigger effect than people assume.
  • Existing debts: every $100/month of debt cuts roughly $20K off your purchase ceiling.
  • Down payment: the more you put down, the more your payment buys.
  • Interest rate: a 0.5% rate swing can shift your buying range by tens of thousands.
  • Property tax: California averages ~1.1% but varies by county.
Common Questions

Calculator FAQ

What's the 28/36 rule?

It's an affordability benchmark: housing payments (PITI + HOA) under 28% of gross income, and total debts under 36%. It keeps borrowers from being stretched too thin.

Why does the calculator factor in my debts?

Lenders look at back-end DTI, your housing payment plus other monthly debts as a percentage of income. The more you owe elsewhere, the less you can spend on housing without exceeding the cap.

Is the maximum number what I should actually borrow?

Almost never. The max is what you qualify for. The right number is what fits your life, savings, and goals. We help you find both numbers in your free consultation.

Does this include closing costs?

No. Plan on an additional 2–4% of the purchase price for closing costs. Some can be reduced via seller credits or lender credits.

Why is California tax assumed at 1.1%?

California's effective property tax rate averages 1.0–1.25% under Proposition 13. We default to 1.1%; you can override based on your specific county.

Does this account for PMI?

Not in this version. If your down payment is less than 20%, expect to add roughly 0.5–1.0% of the loan amount per year for PMI. We'll factor it into your real quote.

Numbers Look Right?

Take your inputs and get a real, written rate quote, usually within 1-2 business days.

Get Pre-Approved