Ratio of Debt-to-Income
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The debt to income ratio is a tool lenders use to calculate how much money is available for a monthly mortgage payment after all your other recurring debt obligations have been met.
How to figure the qualifying ratio
Most underwriting for conventional mortgage loans requires a qualifying ratio of 28/36. An FHA loan will usually allow for a higher debt load, reflected in a higher (29/41) qualifying ratio.
The first number in a qualifying ratio is the maximum percentage of gross monthly income that can be spent on housing costs (this includes loan principal and interest, PMI, hazard insurance, property tax, and HOA dues).
The second number is what percent of your gross income every month which can be spent on housing expenses and recurring debt. Recurring debt includes things like auto loans, child support and credit card payments.
Some example data:
28/36 (Conventional)
- Gross monthly income of $8,000 x .28 = $2,240 can be applied to housing
- Gross monthly income of $8,000 x .36 = $2,280 can be applied to recurring debt plus housing expenses
With a 29/41 (FHA) qualifying ratio
- Gross monthly income of $8,000 x .29 = $2,320 can be applied to housing
- Gross monthly income of $8,000 x .41 = $3,280 can be applied to recurring debt plus housing expenses
If you'd like to calculate pre-qualification numbers with your own financial data, we offer a Mortgage Loan Qualification Calculator.
Don't forget these are just guidelines. We will be happy to help you pre-qualify to help you figure out how much you can afford.
Mann Mortgage can answer questions about these ratios and many others. Call us: (808) 264-3715.