Start with the monthly number, end with a price range
How much house can you afford? Start from the monthly number.
The short version
Most affordability tools start with your income and tell you the most a lender might allow. This workbook runs the other way: you choose the monthly housing cost that still leaves room for the rest of your life, enter the rate from your own quote, and it works backwards to a loan amount and a price range.
Last reviewed against the primary sources listed below.
Why work backwards
Approval is a ceiling, not a target. A lender's maximum is built from ratios and credit rules; it does not know about daycare, a car that is near the end of its life, or how much you like to travel. Starting from your own monthly number keeps those choices in your hands.
Rent affordability works the same way. If you are deciding between renting and buying, put the same monthly number into both sides and compare what each one actually covers.
How the workbook is organised
- Use the CFPB homebuying tools alongside this site to check terms as you go.
- Each guide ends with the next step, so you can read them in order or jump to the one you need.
- Nothing here asks for your name, income records or contact details. The calculator runs in your browser and stores nothing.