09/01/2026
Did you know lenders look at more than your paycheck when deciding how much you can borrow?
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) — how much of your monthly income already goes toward debt — plays a bigger role than most buyers expect. Most lenders want your total monthly debts, including a future mortgage, to stay under roughly 43% of your gross income, though the exact number varies by loan type.
That means two people with the same salary can qualify for very different loan amounts, depending on what they're already paying toward car loans, student loans, or credit cards.
Before you start touring homes, it's worth getting a clear picture of your full financial snapshot — not just your income.
What's one thing you wish you'd understood about affordability before house hunting?
