Finding out how much you can afford is an important stage in the home-buying process because buying a house is one of the biggest expenditures you will ever make. You should start by comparing the amount of money coming in from your employment, investments, and other sources of income to the amount going out to pay for expenses like school loans, credit card bills, and auto payments.

The majority of financial experts concur that a person should not incur total debt of more than 36 percent and spend no more than 28 percent of their gross monthly income on housing costs. A tried-and-true guideline for determining your ability to afford a home payment each month is the 28/36 percent rule.

Let’s say, for illustration, that you make $4,000 per month. This indicates that your monthly debt payments should not exceed $1,440 (36 percent of $4,000) and that your mortgage payment should not exceed $1,120 (28 percent of $4,000). What will you do with the leftovers? You must create a budget that will allow you to pay for wants like entertainment as well as necessities like food and transportation.

Also Read: How to get KiaKia loan without collateral

Understanding the difference between what you can spend and what you can spend comfortably while minimizing your financial stress is crucial when you consider your mortgage payments. Let’s imagine, for illustration’s sake, that you might theoretically afford to pay a mortgage of $4,000 per month. After paying for your other bills, if all you have left is $500, you’re probably pushing yourself too far. Keep in mind that you should live within your means and that there are other important financial objectives to take into account. You shouldn’t purchase a home for that much money just because a lender gives you a preapproval for that sum of money.

Your mortgage’s conditions will affect your housing budget in part, so in addition to accurately calculating your current costs, it’s crucial to have an exact picture of your loan terms and shop around to various lenders to discover the best deal. Borrowers with the best credit ratings, the least amount of debt, and significant down payments typically receive the best interest rates from lenders.

Also Read: The Ultimate Revelation Of How Much House Can I Afford?

Your credit score is the cornerstone of your finances and has a significant impact on the interest rate on your mortgage. If your credit score is 740, for instance, you may be eligible for a loan with a 4.375 percent interest rate for a $400,000 property with a 20% down payment. Your rate could be greater than 6% if your credit score is lower—640, for instance. In such case, the higher credit score could result in a $300 savings on the monthly payment to cover the principal and interest.

Check your credit record at one of the big three bureaus, Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, to get your score.

Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, is another factor that lenders will consider in determining how hazardous it is to extend you a loan. Simply said, the lender will be less confident in your capacity to repay the loan the greater your debt-to-income ratio.

The maximum DTIs set by lenders may make it difficult to have a mortgage approved. For traditional loans, for instance, lenders prefer debt-to-income ratios of less than 43%, while in some situations, the threshold is set at 50%. Pay off your credit cards and other recurring bills like student loans and vehicle loans if you want to reduce your debt-to-income ratio before applying for a mortgage, which is a good idea.

Suppose you make $70,000 a year. The 28 percent guideline states that your annual mortgage payments should not total more than $19,600, or $1,633 a month. You can buy a $305,000 house for a 5.35 percent interest rate for 30 years if you keep that magic figure in mind. However, a 20% down payment would be required.

The deposit is a crucial aspect of affordability. For instance, if we add a down payment to that $70,000 annual earnings, your housing budget drops to $275,000 with a 10% down payment (assuming you want to maintain the 28 percent rule). You may lower your loan-to-value ratio by putting down more money, which would change how risky you appear to your lender.

You may investigate how various purchase prices, interest rates, and minimum down payment amounts affect your monthly payments with Bankrate’s mortgage calculator. Don’t forget to consider the influence mortgage insurance costs could have on your spending. Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is required if you take out a traditional loan with a down payment of less than 20%.