Affordability
Qualifying for a payment and affording it are different things
June 9, 2026 · 6 min read
The 28/36 rule is a starting point, not an answer. What we actually stress-test before quoting a number.
What the guideline actually says
The old 28/36 rule suggests keeping your housing payment near 28 percent of gross monthly income and all debt payments near 36 percent. Modern underwriting is more flexible than that, and plenty of approvals go higher when reserves and credit are strong.
Approval tells you what a computer will allow. It does not tell you what will feel comfortable in month seven when the furnace needs replacing.
What we stress test
We look at the full payment including taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues. We factor in what property taxes and insurance realistically do over the next few years. We look at maintenance, which tends to run around 1 percent of the home value annually, and we look at the commute, childcare, and savings goals that never show up on a loan application.
Then we ask a direct question. What number would let you keep living your life? That number, not the maximum, is what we build around.
Set your own ceiling
Write down a monthly payment you would be genuinely happy with, and a second number that would be the absolute limit. Share both with us and with your agent before you start touring homes.
We will show you what each number buys in the current market, and we will keep you off the loan that technically works but quietly makes life harder.
Have a question about your own numbers?
Call or text us at 720-386-4071, or start your pre-approval online. We will walk you through the math before you sign anything.