- True monthly
- $4,332
- vs entered rate
- +$66/mo
- 5-year interest
- $131,166
BUY · HOUSEHOLD BUDGET CHECK
Can I afford this house?
A lender may test the loan. Your household has to carry the mortgage, tax, insurance, utilities, maintenance, child care, debts—and still keep cash for a shock.
Check the whole budget →Monthly housing burden, debt load, take-home pressure, post-closing liquidity, emergency reserve, evidence quality and rate sensitivity remain visible—not hidden inside one verdict.
Use the budget you actually live on.
Take-home pay is optional but makes the household-pressure check more useful. Savings means liquid funds available before closing.
OFFER PRICE → TRUE COST
Move the price. See the whole plan move.
- True monthly cost
- $4,266/mo
- Cash needed
- $122,600
- Five-year cost
- $252,990
Every additional $25,000 adds approximately $147/month, $5,750 upfront and $8,307 over five years under the assumptions on this page.
MORTGAGE RATE SENSITIVITY
Compare quotes—not rate forecasts.
Each rate keeps the loan balance, term and non-mortgage costs on this page unchanged.
- True monthly
- $4,200
- vs entered rate
- −$65/mo
- 5-year interest
- $121,121
- True monthly
- $4,072
- vs entered rate
- −$194/mo
- 5-year interest
- $111,106
- True monthly
- $3,946
- vs entered rate
- −$319/mo
- 5-year interest
- $101,127
HYPOTHETICAL REFINANCE CHECK
Enter the target rate and actual closing-cost estimate.
The balance and remaining term are held equal for comparison. A real refinance can reset the term, change escrow/insurance and add financed costs.
MONTHLY P&I CHANGENo change/monthBREAK-EVENEnter closing costs
Planning boundary: These are user-controlled what-if rates—not current quotes or a prediction that rates will fall. Compare Loan Estimates, APR, points, lender credits, costs and the time you expect to keep the loan.
Ownership costs and cash-to-close assumptions +
Budget-tight
Unverified U.S. location · $500,000 home · 20% down
61/100
Household planning scoreTransparent weighted checks—not a credit score, lender decision or promise of future affordability.
Mortgage payment alone: $2,528/mo
Down payment, estimated closing costs and entered move/setup costs.
3.5 months of entered housing, debt and child-care outflows.
How the score was built
True housing burden33 / 100 · weight 25%
42.7% of gross income
Housing + debt burden84 / 100 · weight 20%
39% planning ratio
Take-home pressure72 / 100 · weight 15%
68.3% after housing, debt and child care
Post-closing liquidity59 / 100 · weight 20%
3.5 months of entered outflows
Maintenance reserve100 / 100 · weight 8%
$667/month included
Tax + insurance evidence0 / 100 · weight 7%
0 of 2 upgraded from benchmark
Rate + insurance sensitivity100 / 100 · weight 5%
+$309/month in stress case
STRESS CASE
+$309/monthRate +1 point and insurance +20%
This does not forecast either change. It tests whether the current plan has room for them.
Planning boundary: HomeCostGrid has not checked credit, loan program rules, qualifying income, reserves required by a lender, appraisal, title, insurability or the condition of this property.
Replace the benchmark before the offer.
VERIFY THE INPUTS
A score is only as useful as its evidence.
ZIP-level figures are starting points. Exact loan, tax, insurance, HOA and property-condition evidence should replace them before a commitment.
Compare rate, payment, cash-to-close and loan costs with a current Loan Estimate.
CFPB Loan Estimate guidance ↗Review the CFPB worksheet alongside the household-specific costs entered here.
CFPB home loan toolkit ↗A premium benchmark is not a quote and does not confirm deductibles, exclusions or insurability.
NAIC consumer guidance ↗Skip purchase scoring and test the monthly household budget directly with the House-Poor Cash-Flow Check →
QUICK ANSWERS
Budget first. Verify before committing.
Does this calculator tell me whether a lender will approve me?
No. It is a household-budget planning check, not underwriting, prequalification or lending advice. A lender may use different income, debt, asset, rate and property assumptions.
Why does it include maintenance and major replacements?
A mortgage ratio can omit costs a household still has to fund. The planning total includes editable utilities, routine maintenance and a major-replacement reserve so the budget test is broader than principal and interest.
What should I verify before making an offer?
Replace planning benchmarks with a Loan Estimate, buyer property-tax treatment, an address-specific insurance quote, HOA documents and condition evidence. Keep enough liquid savings after closing for the deductible and repairs.
