How Much House Can I Afford?
Deterministic, no AI guessing. We solve for the maximum home price your income supports under the conservative 28/36 rule, the moderate FHA/QM band, and the aggressive lender max — with your state's property tax and homeowners insurance baked in.
We'll send the breakdown, the maintenance-reserve worksheet, and the inspection-readiness checklist tied to your state.
Pre-approval ≠ true affordability.
See how your monthly costs fit into a personalized 5-year home plan, including maintenance and replacement reserves.
Next decisions in the buyer path
Frequently asked
How much house can I afford?+
Take your gross annual income and apply the 28/36 rule: housing payment (PITI + HOA) should not exceed 28% of gross monthly income, and total debt should not exceed 36%. Subtract your existing monthly debt from the 36% cap to find the housing budget the bank will actually approve. The calculator on this page does the full math against your state's property-tax rate and homeowners-insurance average — not just principal and interest.
What is the 28/36 rule?+
The 28/36 rule is the long-standing front-end / back-end DTI benchmark: housing cost ≤ 28% of gross monthly income, total debt service ≤ 36%. Most lenders will stretch to 31/43 (FHA/QM) or 36/45 in tight markets, but the 28/36 band keeps a real maintenance reserve intact. The Conservative column above uses 28/36 as the default.
How much income do I need to afford a $500,000 home?+
With 10% down, a 30-year mortgage at 6.75%, and average state tax + insurance, a $500K home runs roughly $3,700–$4,000 per month PITI. Applying the 28% front-end cap, you need approximately $158,000–$172,000 in gross household income — before factoring in non-mortgage debt.
Should I use my pre-approval amount as my home budget?+
No. Lender pre-approvals are designed against maximum DTI and do not reserve anything for maintenance, repairs, or system replacement. A home that fits inside lender approval can still leave you cash-poor against the 1–3% of value that ownership demands each year. Buy at the Conservative or Moderate column, not the Aggressive.
What's included in PITI?+
Principal, Interest, Property Tax, and Insurance. The calculator above also factors PMI when down payment is under 20%, any HOA you enter, and a separate maintenance reserve target at 1% of home value per year. PITI is what the bank looks at; PITI + maintenance is what you actually need to budget.
How does down payment affect affordability?+
A higher down payment cuts your loan balance dollar for dollar, removes PMI at 20% LTV, and lowers monthly payment — which raises the home price your DTI will support. The calculator above re-solves for max home price each time you change down payment. Most 2026 buyers see the biggest swing crossing the 20% threshold.