Buying a House? How Much Home Can You Afford?

Maybe you've heard the expert advice that your debt to income ratio shouldn't be more than 36 percent of your total income. But do you truly know what that means, and how lenders will look at your financial history in order to decide whether or not to extend you a mortgage? If you need help figuring out your debt to income ratio, simply follow the guidelines below and soon you'll know whether or not you're in a position to apply for a mortgage loan.

Your debt to income ratio is the amount of monthly debt you pay out in contrast to how much income you have coming in. Start by figuring the easy part-your income. If you are on a structured paycheck, then it will be easy-simply calculate your monthly salary. If you work on a commission or other type of varying income, total your last six month's earnings and divide by six.

Now you will need to figure your monthly debt. You should total your car payment, credit card payments (use the minimum amount payments for this calculation, even if you pay more), any other monthly debt-such as child support payments-along with the estimated amount of your new mortgage payment.

Now, take the total of your debt payments and divide it by your income and you will have your debt to income ratio. Most lenders will want to see no higher than a 36 percent debt to income ratio, although there are a few exceptions.

If you find that your debt to income ratio is so high that you may not be able to quality for a mortgage, you should try to pay down some of it before applying for your loan. This will not only better your chances for a mortgage loan, but it will also ensure that you quality for one with better interest rates and terms.

To view our recommended sources for home mortgage loans, visit: Recommended Mortgage Lenders Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.

MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES

Mortgage Cycling May Be Your Best Bet For Equity Buildup and Investment Real Estate
Mortgage cycling is a system that relies on solid budgeting, equity lines of credit and use of an open credit card. Whether you use this on investment real estate or your own home, it can work for wealth building.

Cardinal Principle of Homeowner Personal Loans - It is a Solution for Any Sort of Financial Funding
You bought a house and you were promoted to the position of a homeowner. It was perhaps the most important decision of your life.

Know Your Mortgage Fees, and Youll Never Pay Too Much for Your Loan
If you buy new windows, you'll not only pay for the windows, you will also pay an installation fee. When you purchase a car, you pay tax, title, assumption fee, etc.

Guide to Flexible Mortgages
Outlined below is a useful guide to flexible mortgages. Flexible mortgages are also known as Australian Mortgages because they usually feature something which is common in Australia - interest recalculation on a daily basis.

The Top 5 Things You Must Know Before Applying for a Mortgage
You've been thinking about buying your own home for quite a long time, and now you're ready to take the plunge. You've been saving money for a down payment, and you know the next step is preparing to apply for a mortgage.

5 Steps to Getting on Top of your Mortgage
Getting on top of your mortgage so you can pay your loan off faster and potentially save thousands of dollars on your home loan is possible with a plan and consistent effort. There are mortgage reduction strategies that you can put into place that will ensure that your loan is paid off more quickly without putting a huge strain on your current budget.

Remortgage Serves To Rewind The Reimbursements Of Mortgage
It takes a mighty big effort to secure a home and even mightier to convert it into an earning member. Can a home be converted into an earning member? In contemporary configuration anything is possible! You must be aware of the advantages of mortgage, for you certainly have opted for that before going for a remortgage.

Using a Home Mortgage Calculator
There are a variety of tools online that you can use to determine how much you can afford to pay for a home, how much the monthly payment will be based on the sale price of a home, and calculators to tell you whether it is better to rent or buy based on your personal situation. Using a home mortgage calculator online doesn't cost any money, and can be an extremely useful tool in your preparation and research for buying a home.

Mortgage Lead and Mortgage Leads
A mortgage lead is an exciting thing because you are filled with the thought of buying a house. Mortgage leads are listings of information dealing with how much a house will be.

Home Mortgage Refinancing - Things to Consider When Looking to Get Cash Out on a Refinance
When you refinance your home mortgage, lenders often tempt you with the option of cashing out part of your home's equity. Cash at a comparably low interest rate may seem like a good option, but make sure you will financially benefit from it first.

Basic Tips for First Time Home Buyers
The first time you purchase a home is an exciting experience. You are anxious to call the place yours and maybe a little worried about how the whole thing will play out.

Mortgage-Refinance Loan Measurment 101 -- Evaluate Your Own Ability to Pay
We live in a society where people are losing their homes at an alarmingly high rate. There are several reasons for this, but one could certainly be avoided -- buying a house that creates a loan that is too large for you to handle.

Home Mortgages: Does a No-closing-cost Loan Make Sense for You?
I have heard a number of radio ads and have seen many newspaper ads offering "no closing cost" home mortgages. These ads will tell you that you can get a new mortgage or refinance your existing mortgage at absolutely with absolutely no closing costs.

How Homeowner Can Save Their Home From Foreclosure
Drive around and see how many signs you see that says House for Sale. How many lease purchases do you see? How many abandon houses are on your street? Our country is up against the wall with delinquence mortgages.

Mortgage - What, Why, When, and How?
What is a mortgage? Here's what The New Merriam - Webster Dictionary definition is: "a transfer of rights to a piece of property usu. as security for the payment of a loan or debt that becomes void when the debt is paid.

Home Refinancing Scam - Thieves Use Identity Theft to Steal Your Equity
Since the demise of the stock market in 2000, the real estate market has been booming. Investors who are justifiably cautious about investing in stocks have been investing in homes.

Fixed Rate or Adjustable?
Fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgages are two choices of mortgage loans that most lenders will offer you. Your financial situation, how long you plan to live in the home, the current interest rates, and what risks you are willing to take is the best way to decide which loan makes the most sense for you.

Mortgage Terminology for the First Time Home Buyer
Buying a Home for the first time can be a little "nerve racking". Mortgage terminology that brokers use everyday can leave you scratching your head or shaking your head pretending that you know what they're talking about.

Poor Credit Home Mortgage Loans - The Role of the FICO Score
If you have bad credit history and are looking to get a home mortgage loan, then chances are you are going to need to know all about how the FICO credit scoring system works.FICO - Fair ISAAC & Company - is the leading credit reporting agency that lenders turn to when it comes time to credit scoring your home loan mortgage application; so if you do have bad credit history, these guys will know.

A Guide to UK Buy to Let Mortgages
Essentially there is little difference between the process that one follows for a buy to let mortgage in the UK than there is for any other type of mortgage. The lender still has to consider your credit worthiness, the value of the property, how much down payment you can afford and all of the other usual considerations.