How Do Mortgage Lenders Decide How Much You Can Borrow?
When buying a home, one of the most critical factors is determining how much you can borrow through a mortgage. Lenders evaluate multiple financial aspects to assess your borrowing capacity. Here’s what they consider: 1. Income and Debt-to-Income (DTI) RatioLenders assess your income to ensure you can afford monthly mortgage payments. A common guideline is that your total housing costs (including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance) should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income. Additionally, your total debt-to-income (DTI) ratio—including credit cards, student loans, car loans, and other debts—typically should not exceed 43% for most conventional loans. A lower…