Mortgage Affordability Calculator

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When browsing real estate listings for a new home, the first step is to figure out how much you can afford. Affordability is based on the household income of the applicants purchasing the house, the personal monthly expenses of those applicants (car payments, credit expenses, etc.), and the expenses associated with owning a home (property taxes, condo fees, and heating costs). The calculator below will show you the maximum purchase price that you can qualify for.

You also need to determine if you have enough cash resources to purchase a home. The cash required is derived from the down payment put towards the purchase price, as well as the closing costs that must be incurred to complete the purchase. Ratehub.ca can help you estimate these closing costs with first tab under our affordability calculator.

Inputs

Affordability

Annual Income

Monthly Living Costs

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Before Tax		 Applicant Income Your gross income before-tax, including any bonuses and supplementary income. Property Tax An annual tax levied by the municipality in which your home is located. We have used an estimate based on the average in your province.

Before Tax		 Co-Applicant Income Your co-applicant's before-tax gross income. Your combined income will be used to calculate the mortgage you can afford. Condo Fees Condo fees cover common building expenses and maintenance in multi-unit properties. We have used a default estimate of $300.
Heating Costs The total costs associated with heating your home and water. We have used a default estimate based on provincial averages.

Monthly debt payments
Credit Card The average monthly interest owed on outstanding credit card balances. This does not include the balances themselves, only the interest portion. How much can I afford?
Car Payment Your monthly leasing or financing outlay on any household vehicles.
Loan Expenses Any other monthly loan expenses, such as lines of credit, student loans, alimony or child support.

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How to estimate affordability

Lenders look at two ratios when determining the mortgage amount you qualify for, which generally indicate how much you can afford. These ratios are called the Gross Debt Service (GDS) ratio and Total Debt Service (TDS) ratio. They take into account your income, monthly housing costs and overall debt load.

The first affordability rule, as set out by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is that your monthly housing costs – mortgage principal and interest, taxes and heating expenses (P.I.T.H.) - should not exceed 32% of your gross household monthly income. For condominiums, P.I.T.H. also includes half of your monthly condominium fees. The sum of these housing costs as a percentage of your gross monthly income is your GDS ratio.

The CMHC’s second affordability rule is that your total monthly debt load, including housing costs, should not be more than 40% of your gross monthly income. In addition to housing costs, your total monthly debt load would include credit card interest, car payments, and other loan expenses. The sum of your total monthly debt load as a percentage of your gross household income is your TDS ratio.

Gross Debt Service Ratio
=
Mortgage Principal & Interest + Taxes + Heating Expenses
Annual Income
Ratio should be < 32%
Total Debt Service Ratio
=
Housing Expenses + Credit Card Interest + Car Payments + Loan Expenses
Annual Income
Ratio should be < 40%

Note that while the industry guideline for GDS and TDS is 32% and 40% respectively, most borrowers with good credit and steady income will be allowed to exceed these limits. The maximum allowed is 39% and 44%. The calculator uses these maximums to estimate affordability.

Down Payment

Your down payment is a benchmark used to determine your maximum affordability. Ignoring income and debt levels, you can determine how much you can afford to spend using a simple calculation:

  • If your down payment is $25,000 or less, you can find your maximum purchase price using this formula: down payment / 5% = maximum affordability.
  • If your down payment is $25,001 or more, you can find your maximum purchase price using this formula: down payment amount - $25,000 / 10% + $500,000. For example, if you have saved $50,000 for your down payment, the maximum home price you could afford would be $50,000 - $25,000 = $25,000 / 10% = $250,000 + $500,000 = $750,000.

Any mortgage with less than a 20% down payment is known as a high-ratio mortgage, and requires you to purchase mortgage default insurance, commonly referred to as CMHC insurance.

Cash requirement

In addition to your down payment and CMHC insurance, you should set aside 1.5% - 4% of your home's selling price to cover closing costs, which are payable on closing day. Many home buyers forget to account for closing costs in their cash requirement.

Other mortgage qualification factors

In addition to your debt service ratios, down payment, and cash for closing costs, mortgage lenders will also consider your credit history and your income when qualifying you for a mortgage. All of these factors are equally important. For example even if you have good credit, a sizeable down payment, and no debts, but an unstable income, you might have difficulty getting approved for a mortgage.

Keep in mind that the mortgage affordability calculator can only provide an estimate of how much you'll be approved for, and assumes you’re an ideal candidate for a mortgage. To get the most accurate picture of what you qualify for, speak to a mortgage broker about getting a mortgage pre-approval.

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