Can I afford it?
Enter your income and debts. Sterling shows a comfortable price range (28/36 rule) and a stretch ceiling (43% debt-to-income), so you know the difference between approved and affordable.
Comfortable price range: up to
–
Stretch ceiling: –
*Housing payment plus a 1% maintenance reserve. Utilities not included.
Estimates only. Not financial advice. Terms
Sterling says: Tallying it all up…
See the full monthly breakdown →
Putting less than 20% down? See when your PMI goes away →
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Questions people ask
How much house can I afford on my salary?
A common guideline is to keep your housing payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA and PMI) at or below 28% of gross monthly income, and all monthly debts at or below 36%. Many lenders will approve up to around 43% total debt, but that is a stretch for most budgets.
What is the 28/36 rule?
It says housing costs should be no more than 28% of your gross monthly income and total debt payments no more than 36%. Our “comfortable” range uses it.
Does the affordability estimate include maintenance and utilities?
Lenders don’t count them, so the price range doesn’t either. That’s why we show the monthly cost with a 1% maintenance reserve added, so you can see the real number.