When a buyer stretches for a specific home
If a buyer loves a home at the top of their range, a quick DTI check with that home's payment shows whether the stretch is realistic before you spend weekends touring it.
Buyer tools · Quick check
A debt-to-income calculator in three fields
Debt-to-income is the ratio lenders lean on, and buyers rarely know theirs. This debt-to-income calculator for agents takes three fields (gross monthly income, the housing payment and other monthly debts) and returns front-end and back-end DTI with a plain-language assessment. It's the fastest calculator in the set, and it fits on any phone screen.
- Included on: every plan
- Runs in English and Spanish
- Leads arrive with all 4 results attached
What's a good debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage?
Lower is better. Many lenders look for total debt-to-income in the low-to-mid 40s or below, though program rules and compensating factors vary. Housing alone is often expected to stay under about 28–31% of gross income. This calculator shows both ratios for one payment, but only a lender can say what's acceptable.
When you'd send it
When to put the Debt-to-Income Calculator in front of people
In a 'getting mortgage-ready' email
Buyers months out benefit from knowing their DTI. A short email with this calculator helps them see whether paying down a car loan or card first would help.
Alongside a listing's payment
On listings, pair it with the mortgage calculator in a widget: first see the payment, then check what share of income it is.
What your visitor sees
Three fields: gross monthly income, the monthly housing payment (including taxes and insurance) and other monthly debt payments. The result shows back-end DTI, front-end DTI, total monthly debt and a short lending assessment of where the ratio falls.
The lead you receiveA buyer checking whether a payment is realistic
You get their Gross Monthly Income, the Monthly Housing Payment they tested, Other Monthly Debt Payments, Back-End DTI, Front-End DTI and the Lending Assessment. A buyer near the limit is a candidate for a lender conversation before you write an offer.
Follow-up that works
- If the back-end DTI is high, suggest they talk to a lender about options before touring at that payment.
- If it's comfortable, follow up with homes at that payment and a pre-approval reminder.
- Keep the conversation about the payment. Don't give credit advice.
- What your visitor enters
- Gross Monthly Income
- their input
- Monthly Housing Payment
- their input
- Other Monthly Debt Payments
- their input
- What they see (and what you receive)
- Back-End DTI
- their result
- Front-End DTI (Housing)
- their result
- Total Monthly Debt
- their result
- Lending Assessment
- their result
- Contact and source
- Name, email, phone
- with consent
- Page and campaign
- UTM · referrer
With that payment, your total debts came out around 47% of income. A lender can tell you what's possible. Would it help if I sent homes around $250 a month lower in the meantime?
Before and after
Your page before and after this calculator
BeforeAfter
Before: Talk to a lender first
- Buyers put it off and keep browsing
- You only learn about debt issues mid-deal
- Offers fall through over surprises
After: Check your ratio in 30 seconds
- Buyers see where they stand right away
- You see DTI before an offer
- The lender call is better informed
Reading the results
What each result means for your follow-up
The same figures your visitor sees arrive in your lead record. Here's how to read the ones that matter.
- Back-End DTI
- All monthly debts, including housing, as a share of gross income. This is the ratio most likely to limit a buyer with car, student or card payments.
- Front-End DTI (Housing)
- The housing payment alone as a share of gross income. High front-end with low back-end points to a price that's high for the income.
- Lending Assessment
- A plain-language read on the ratio. It's a guide, not a lending decision, and the wording on the page should make that clear.
What can go wrong
Mistakes that cost agents the lead
Using take-home pay
DTI uses gross income. Buyers who enter net pay see an alarming ratio. Mention gross income in the field label or your follow-up.
Leaving out taxes and insurance
The housing payment should include tax, insurance, HOA and mortgage insurance. P&I alone understates front-end DTI.
Interpreting the result as approval
Program limits and compensating factors vary. Keep 'approved' and 'qualified' language away from this calculator.
Inside the Debt-to-Income Calculator
What your visitor enters (3)
Income
- Gross Monthly Income
Monthly Debt Payments
- Monthly Housing Payment
- Other Monthly Debt Payments
Field names are shown as they appear in the calculator's English interface.
What they see (and what you receive) (4)
- Back-End DTI
- Front-End DTI (Housing)
- Total Monthly Debt
- Lending Assessment
Definitions shown in the calculator (8)
- Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)
- Monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income, as a percent. Lenders use it to judge whether a new payment is affordable alongside existing obligations. This calculator reports two versions: front-end, which counts housing only, and back-end, which adds all other recurring debts. Program limits vary, and lenders use verified figures.
- Back-end DTI
- Housing payment plus all other recurring monthly debt payments, divided by gross monthly income. It is the ratio lenders usually weigh most. The calculator’s assessment uses 43% as the line for most lenders, a common guideline cited by the CFPB rather than a legal cap; some programs allow higher ratios with compensating factors.
- Front-end DTI
- The monthly housing payment alone divided by gross monthly income, also called the housing ratio. It shows how much of income the home itself would take. Some loan programs set a separate front-end limit, while others focus mainly on the back-end ratio. Both use gross income, not take-home pay.
- Gross monthly income
- Total monthly income before taxes, retirement contributions and other deductions. Lenders use gross income, not take-home pay, which is why a DTI that looks acceptable can still feel tight in a monthly budget. Income that varies, such as bonuses or self-employment earnings, is often averaged over a documented history.
- PITI (housing payment)
- Principal, interest, property taxes and homeowners insurance: the full monthly housing cost lenders count, plus mortgage insurance and HOA dues where they apply. This is the figure to enter as the housing payment. Using principal and interest alone understates the ratio, sometimes by several percentage points.
- Recurring monthly debts
- Minimum required payments on debts that appear on a credit report, such as auto loans, student loans, credit cards and personal loans, plus obligations like child support. Utilities, groceries and insurance premiums are generally not counted. Lenders use the minimum payment shown on the report, not the amount you choose to pay.
- Lending assessment
- A plain-language label the calculator assigns to your back-end DTI, from well within limits to likely declined. It reflects common guidelines, not any lender’s decision. Actual approval also depends on credit history, down payment, reserves and the loan program, and lenders calculate DTI from verified income and credit-report debts.
- Total monthly debt
- The housing payment plus other monthly debt payments: the numerator of the back-end DTI. Lowering it, for example by paying off a small loan with few payments left, can move the ratio more than an equivalent increase in income would, since income is the larger number in the division.
Calculator disclaimer
Estimates only. Lenders calculate DTI using verified income and the debts on your credit report, and program limits vary. Confirm your ratios with a licensed lender.
Calculator results are estimates for illustration, not Loan Estimates, pre-approvals or offers of credit.
Terms on this page
Sources
- CFPB: What is a debt-to-income ratio? (2026-10)
Questions by topic
Debt-to-Income Calculator: questions agents ask
How is DTI calculated?
Front-end DTI = monthly housing payment ÷ gross monthly income. Back-end DTI = (housing payment + other monthly debts) ÷ gross monthly income. Both are expressed as percentages.
Which debts count?
Recurring monthly obligations that appear on a credit report or are contractual: car loans, student loans, minimum card payments, personal loans, child support and similar. Utilities, phone bills and groceries usually don't count.
What's the difference between this and affordability?
DTI checks a specific payment. The affordability calculator works backwards from DTI limits to a maximum price. Use DTI when a buyer has a home in mind and affordability when they don't.
Is it appropriate to ask buyers about their debts?
Let the calculator do it privately. Buyers choose what to enter, and the lead shows the result. On calls, keep to the payment and leave credit questions to the lender.
What can a buyer do about a high DTI?
Common levers are a lower payment (a lower price or a larger down payment) or lower other debts. Whether paying something off helps depends on the loan program. A lender should advise on that.
What DTI limit do lenders use?
It varies by program and borrower. Some programs allow higher ratios with strong credit or reserves. The CFPB explains DTI basics, and the buyer's lender gives the real limit.
Why use such a short calculator?
Short forms get completed on phones. Three fields and an instant result suit social posts, texts and listing pages where visitors won't fill in fifteen fields.
Can I add it next to the mortgage calculator?
Yes. A tabs widget with Payment and DTI tabs is a good listing-page setup: payment first, then the ratio.
Does it work in Spanish?
Yes. The DTI calculator runs in English and Spanish, including the assessment text.
Pairs well with
Calculators that pair well with this one
Put the Debt-to-Income Calculator on your next listing
Included on every plan, including the free Agent plan. No card needed.