Where the numbers come from.

Start with your monthly money

Take-home pay minus non-housing spending leaves money for housing and savings. If you enter a cushion, that is kept separate too.

Until you enter actual take-home pay, the calculator uses 65% of gross income. That is an editable illustration, not a tax calculation. Your deductions, filing situation, location, and income type can make it inaccurate.

A suggestion is not a limit

The first suggestion uses 30% of gross income for total housing costs, capped by the money left after spending and any cushion. The 30% housing guideline is a broad benchmark, not a personal answer.

Set a monthly savings goal and the calculator uses what remains for housing instead. The 30% rule no longer caps it. Move the housing slider and monthly savings become the amount left at that choice.

Rent means the advertised rent

The large rent amount does not include utilities or other add-ons. The starting estimate for those is $300 per month. Change it to match the place you are considering.

A move-in check separately adds first month's rent, a deposit of 1 month's rent, $3,000 for moving, and $2,000 for furnishing, plus any other upfront rental costs you enter. Those extra costs start at $0 and are counted once, separately from monthly bills and your reserve. The landlord's income multiple is a separate editable check, not your personal spending limit.

Buying uses two constraints together

The model tests home prices against the monthly budget and the cash available after your reserve. Cash must cover the down payment, closing, moving, and any immediate repairs. The affordable-price estimate must fit both limits under the selected assumptions.

Monthly ownership costs include the mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, any mortgage insurance, HOA, upkeep, and entered utilities. Mortgage insurance is modeled below 20% down for conventional scenarios. The 3.5% option uses an FHA illustration with upfront financed and monthly insurance.

Automatic goal plans use 2026 one-unit nationwide starting loan limits: $541,287 for FHA and $832,750 for conventional loans. You can enter higher local limits in Buying costs. Without them, the plan may require more upfront cash. You can explore a larger loan, but a lender still needs to check whether you and the property qualify. Sources: HUD and FHFA.

HOA, buying utilities, and immediate repairs start at zero because they depend on the property. Zero does not mean the expense will be absent. See the CFPB's explanation of mortgage payment components.

Your reserve and your goals

The reserve starts at three months of non-housing spending, not three months of all living costs. Adjust it for housing, income stability, emergencies, and your comfort level. The CFPB explains why reserve needs depend on your situation.

A housing goal uses your current housing cost to estimate how much you can save and how long the upfront cash could take. Saving for that home is not counted again as a separate savings goal unless you choose to protect money for something else.

These projections hold prices, income, spending, and rates constant and assume no investment return. Saving the upfront amount does not by itself guarantee that the future monthly cost or loan will work.