Home BuyingGuide
What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio to Buy a House?
A good DTI to buy a house is usually 36% or less, but FHA and others stretch higher. Here's how to calculate it and what each loan type really allows.
Home Buying
Affordability, mortgages, down payments, PMI, and the true cost of a home.
Home Buying
How Much Earnest Money Is Normal? A First-Time Buyer's Guide to the Deposit
Earnest money is usually a refundable 1-3% deposit. Here's what's normal, where it goes, and which contingencies keep it safe if a deal falls apart.
Home Buying
The 28/36 Rule, Explained Simply: How Lenders Decide What You Can Borrow
Lenders judge your mortgage against two ceilings: 28% for housing and 36% for total debt. Here's how to run both tests on your own numbers.
Home Buying
Are Closing Costs Separate From Your Down Payment? What Buyers Get Wrong
Closing costs and your down payment are two separate piles of cash. Here's how they stack into one cash-to-close number, with real math.
Home Buying
How Long Does It Really Take to Save a Down Payment?
A realistic month-by-month timeline for saving a down payment at 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20% down, plus why the 20% rule is mostly a myth.
Home Buying
Escrow Shortage Explained: Why Your Mortgage Payment Suddenly Went Up
A fixed rate but a higher payment? An escrow shortage is usually why. Here is how to read your escrow analysis and decide how to pay it off.
Home BuyingGuide
How Much Income Do You Need to Afford a $300K House? (Real 2026 Numbers)
A $300K home in 2026 realistically needs around $80K-$99K in income, depending on your down payment, rate, and existing debt. Here's the honest math.