Reckora

Home Affordability Calculator

See the maximum home price your income supports — with the full monthly payment breakdown and debt-to-income ratios behind it. Adjust the inputs and the numbers update instantly.

Max Home Price

$0

Max Loan Amount

$0

Est. Monthly Payment (PITI)

$0

Front-End DTI

0%

Back-End DTI

0%

Monthly Payment Breakdown

Where your estimated monthly housing payment goes

Monthly Payment Detail (PITI)

Component Monthly
Principal & Interest $0
Property Tax $0
Homeowners Insurance $0
HOA $0
Total PITI $0

How much house can you afford?

Affordability isn't really about the sticker price of a home — it's about the monthly payment your income can carry without stretching too thin. Lenders decide how much they'll lend using your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), and this calculator uses the same logic in reverse: it starts from the largest monthly payment your target DTI allows, then works backward to the home price that produces it.

The math behind the number

First, we find your maximum total monthly payment. If your target back-end DTI is 36%, your total housing payment plus existing debts can't exceed 36% of your gross monthly income. Subtract your current monthly debt payments and what's left is the most you can spend on housing — your maximum PITI (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance), plus any HOA dues.

From that ceiling we subtract estimated property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA to isolate how much can go toward principal and interest. Then we invert the standard mortgage payment formula to solve for the loan amount that payment supports, and add your down payment to get the maximum home price. Because property tax scales with the home's value, the calculation loops a few times until the price settles.

What the results mean

  • Max Home Price — the largest purchase price your target DTI supports at these inputs.
  • Max Loan Amount — the max home price minus your down payment.
  • Estimated Monthly Payment (PITI) — principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA combined.
  • Front-End DTI — housing payment as a share of gross income; often targeted near 28%.
  • Back-End DTI — housing plus all other debts as a share of income; the figure this tool caps at your target.

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Not financial advice. Results are estimates for educational purposes only. Actual loan approval depends on your credit, the loan program, and a lender's full underwriting — and doesn't include closing costs, PMI, maintenance, or utilities. Tax and insurance rates vary widely by location. Confirm real numbers with a licensed lender before making a decision.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about this calculator and the math behind it.

A common rule of thumb is that your total home payment plus other debts should stay under about 36% of your gross monthly income (your back-end DTI), and housing alone under roughly 28% (front-end). This calculator works backward from that limit: it takes your income, subtracts your existing debts, sets aside taxes and insurance, and solves for the largest loan — and therefore the largest home price — that keeps you inside your target ratio.
DTI stands for debt-to-income ratio — the share of your gross monthly income that goes toward debt payments. Lenders use it to gauge how much new mortgage debt you can safely take on. The higher your existing debts, the less room is left for a house payment, so DTI, not your income alone, usually sets the ceiling on what you can borrow.
Front-end DTI counts only your housing payment (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance) against your income. Back-end DTI adds every other monthly debt — car loans, student loans, credit-card minimums — on top. Lenders typically care most about back-end DTI, and many conventional loans cap it around 36% to 43%, though the exact limit varies by loan program and lender.
Not necessarily. The maximum here is what the DTI math allows, not what leaves you comfortable. It doesn't account for maintenance, utilities, retirement savings, or an emergency fund. Many buyers intentionally shop below their max so an unexpected repair or income dip doesn't strain the budget. Treat the number as a ceiling, then decide what monthly payment actually fits your life.

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