Affordability Calculator
Lenders qualify you on your whole payment — including Texas property taxes. That's why a national calculator can overstate your Texas buying power by tens of thousands of dollars. This one starts from a realistic local rate.
Estimate only — not a pre-approval and not a commitment to lend. This tool models a maximum based on the figures you enter and a debt-to-income limit you choose. Real qualification depends on verified income and assets, credit profile, loan program guidelines, the property's actual tax rate and insurance cost, and current market pricing. All loans are subject to credit approval, income and asset verification, and property appraisal. Rates and terms vary and are not guaranteed.
The Texas discount nobody mentions
It isn't your income. It's that lenders count taxes and insurance inside the payment they qualify you on — and in Texas, that slice is unusually large.
Every dollar of monthly property tax is a dollar not available for principal and interest. At Texas rates that can shift your maximum price by tens of thousands.
MUD and PID levies mean your affordability can genuinely differ between two neighborhoods at the same price point. Check the rate before you fall for a listing.
Reaching 20% removes PMI, freeing monthly room that goes straight back into buying power. Test the down payment field to see the effect.
TDHCA and TSAHC offer down payment help and credits for eligible Texas buyers, and price limits fit many markets outside the priciest metros.
Next steps
Answers
Less than a national calculator will tell you, generally — because Texas property taxes are among the highest in the country and lenders qualify you on your full payment including taxes and insurance. The same income that supports a $500,000 purchase in a low-tax state often supports meaningfully less here. That is exactly what this calculator is built to show.
DTI compares your total monthly debt payments — including the new mortgage — against your gross monthly income. Many conventional programs work around the 43% range, though automated underwriting approves higher ratios with compensating factors like strong credit or reserves, and FHA can be more flexible. It is one of the main levers in how much you qualify for.
Recurring obligations that appear on your credit report: car payments, student loans, minimum credit card payments, personal loans, and child support or alimony. Utilities, groceries, phone bills, and insurance premiums generally do not count toward DTI.
Yes, in two ways. It directly reduces the loan amount, and once you reach 20% down it removes PMI from the payment entirely — freeing up room in your DTI. Try moving the down payment field and watch how the maximum price responds.
No. This is an educational estimate from figures you enter. A real pre-approval verifies your income, assets, and credit, and produces a letter you can present with an offer. Sellers take pre-approvals seriously; they do not take calculator screenshots seriously.
From estimate to real numbers
Calculators estimate. A licensed Texas loan officer confirms — using your actual credit, income, and the real tax rate for the address.
Get my real numbersThis is not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval, income and asset verification, and property appraisal. Rates and terms vary and are not guaranteed.