Monthly Debts

Include all of you and your co-borrower's monthly debts, including: minimum monthly required credit card payments, car payments, student loans, alimony/child support payments, any house payments (rent or mortgage) other than the new mortgage you are seeking, rental property maintenance, and other personal loans with periodic payments.

Do NOT include: credit card balances you pay off in full each month, existing house payments (rent or mortgage) that will become obsolete as a result of the new mortgage you are seeking, or the new mortgage you are seeking.

Determining How Much You Can Afford

When mortgage lenders evaluate your ability to afford a loan, they consider all the factors in the loan, such as the interest rate, private mortgage insurance and homeowner's insurance. They also consider your own financial profile, including how the monthly mortgage payment will add to your overall debt and how much income you are expected to make while you are paying for the home.

Front-End Ratio vs Back-End Ratio
Two criteria that mortgage lenders look at to understand how much you can afford are the housing expense ratio, known as the “front-end ratio,” and the total debt-to-income ratio, known as the “back-end ratio.”

Front-End Ratio
The housing expense, or front-end, ratio is determined by the amount of your gross income used to pay your monthly mortgage payment. Most lenders do not want your monthly mortgage payment to exceed 28 percent of your gross monthly income. The monthly mortgage payment includes principle, interest, property taxes, homeowner's insurance and any other fees that must be included.

To determine how much you can afford for your monthly mortgage payment, just multiply your annual salary by 0.28 and divide the total by 12. This will give you the monthly payment that you can afford.

Back-End Ratio
The debt-to-income, or back-end, ratio, analyzes how much of your gross income must go toward debt payments, including your mortgage, credit cards, car loans student loans, medical expenses, child support, alimony and other obligations. Most lenders do not want your total debts, including your mortgage, to be more than 36 percent of your gross monthly income.

Determining your monthly mortgage payment based on your other debts is a bit more completed. Multiply your annual salary by 0.36 percent, then divide the total by 12. This is the maximum amount you can pay toward debts each month. Subtract your other debts — including your car payment, your student loan payment and other debt payments — from this amount to determine the maximum amount you can spend on your monthly mortgage payment.

Once you have the two numbers and a sense of the interest rate you may qualify for, you can use a mortgage calculator to determine the cost of the home that you can afford.

Important Note Regarding Home-Affordability Calculator And Results.

Home-purchase affordability depends on various factors and is not guaranteed. Results shown are estimates and are based on the accuracy and continued reliability of the data you input. Additionally, various other factors may affect affordability. Such factors may include credit score, the particular mortgage you choose, lender guidelines, other savings needs you might have (e.g., retirement, college), changes in market conditions, changes in your own circumstances, and more. Some results may be rounded.

 

Calculator Disclaimer

This calculator is intended for illustrative purposes only and are hypothetical. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any calculation results scenarios. The figures displayed do not constitute an offer, quote, or solicitation of a product or service by AmWest Funding Corp or its affiliates.