Home price by interest rate and monthly debts
Each cell is the highest price whose full monthly payment fits both ratios on $150,000 a year with 10% down. Monthly debts are payments on car loans, student loans and cards.
| Rate | No debts | $600/mo debts | $1,200/mo debts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5% | $523,293 | $523,293 | $492,052 |
| 6.5% | $479,924 | $479,924 | $451,271 |
| 7.5% | $441,685 | $441,685 | $415,315 |
At 6.5% with no other debts the housing ratio is the binding limit and the price is about 3.2 times income. Add $600 of monthly debts and the housing ratio still binds and the price becomes $479,924. A one-point change in rate moves the price by roughly $40,804 at this income.
Home price by down payment (6.5%, $600/mo debts)
| Down payment | Cash down | Home price | PMI / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5% | $15,806 | $451,592 | $182 |
| 5% | $22,891 | $457,829 | $181 |
| 10% | $47,992 | $479,924 | $180 |
| 20% | $112,167 | $560,837 | $0 |
Reaching 20% down removes private mortgage insurance, which is why the jump from 10% to 20% is larger than the extra cash alone would suggest: the PMI money goes back into the principal-and-interest budget.
How the $479,924 figure is built
Start from gross monthly income of $12,500. The 28% housing limit is $3,500; the 36% total-debt limit is $4,500, less any other debts. With no debts, the housing limit is lower, so it sets the budget. At a price of $479,924 with $47,992 down, the loan is $431,931. Principal and interest at 6.5% over 30 years come to $2,730 a month, property tax $440, insurance $150 and PMI $180, for a total of $3,500, right at the limit.
A 15-year loan at the same rate supports about $366,857, because the same budget has to repay principal twice as fast; it builds equity much sooner and costs far less interest over the life of the loan. See 15-year vs 30-year mortgages.
Comparing nearby incomes
- $140k a year: about $446,496 with the same assumptions.
- $150k a year: about $479,924.
- $200k a year: about $647,061.
Before you shop at this price
The ratios describe what a lender may approve, not what feels comfortable. They use gross pay and ignore retirement saving, childcare and commuting. Many buyers aim below the 28% line to keep room for repairs, which often run around 1% of a home's value a year. Check the payment on a specific listing with the mortgage calculator, weigh buying against renting with the rent vs buy calculator, and read the 28/36 rule guide for how lenders apply the ratios.