Debt-to-Income Ratio – It’s Just as Important as Your Credit Score When Buying a New Home
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is a simple way of calculating how much of your monthly income goes toward debt payments. Lenders use the DTI to determine how much money they can safely loan you toward a home purchase or mortgage refinancing. Everyone knows that their credit score is an important factor in qualifying for a loan. But in reality, the DTI is every bit as important as the credit score.
Lenders usually apply a standard called the “28/36 rule” to your debt-to-income ratio to determine whether youre loan-worthy. The first number, 28, is the maximum percentage of your gross monthly income that the lender will allow for housing expenses. The total includes payments on the mortgage loan, mortgage insurance, fire insurance, property taxes, and homeowners association dues. This is usually called PITI, which stands for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.
The second number, 36, refers to the maximum percentage of your gross monthly income the lender will allow for housing expenses PLUS recurring debt. When they calculate your recurring...