{"id":109314,"date":"2026-03-18T13:31:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T20:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=109314"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:31:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T20:31:59","slug":"debt-to-income-ratio-for-mortgage-approval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/debt-to-income-ratio-for-mortgage-approval\/","title":{"rendered":"What Debt-to-Income Ratio Do You Need to Get Approved for a Mortgage?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><b>Key Takeaways:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Debt-to-income ratio helps lenders determine how much house you can afford.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lower DTI ratio is more appealing to lenders because it shows you have more financial flexibility and are less risky to lend to.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Borrowers with high DTI ratios may have a harder time getting approved for a mortgage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to getting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/mortgage-pre-approval\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">approved for a mortgage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, lenders look at more than just your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/guides\/what-credit-score-is-needed-to-buy-a-house\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">credit score<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and income. They also care about how much debt you have. Even with a strong credit score and other factors, having significant debt can make affording a home difficult, since even one unexpected expense could stretch your budget too thin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding what debt-to-income ratio you need to get approved for a mortgage can help you plan and prepare for that process. By strengthening your financial profile, you\u2019ll put yourself in a better position to own a home.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is debt-to-income ratio<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lenders use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/definition\/debtto-income-ratio\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">debt-to-income ratio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to determine how much a potential borrower can afford to pay on a mortgage. This ratio includes most sources of debt and income, but it doesn\u2019t include everyday expenses like utilities or groceries. Generally, having a higher debt-to-income ratio makes it harder to secure financing to buy a house.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to calculate your DTI ratio<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calculating your DTI ratio is pretty straightforward. First, add up your monthly debt payments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These can include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mortgage payments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rent payments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Credit card payments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auto loans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal loans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other regular debt payments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After that, simply divide that number by your gross monthly income to find your debt-to-income ratio.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><i>Monthly debt payments \/ Gross monthly income = DTI<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, let\u2019s say you currently pay $2,000 per month on your current mortgage and $400 per month on other debts. If your gross monthly income is $7,000, your DTI would be about 34%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><i>($2,000 + $400) \/ $7,000 =\u00a0 ~0.34<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also important to understand which expenses do and don\u2019t factor into your DTI so you get an accurate picture of your situation. Utilities , insurance premiums, phone bills, groceries, and discretionary spending are not included<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a good debt-to-income ratio?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, the lower your DTI is, the better. Following the \u201c28\/36 rule,\u201d which says that your monthly debt shouldn\u2019t exceed 36% of your gross monthly income, is a helpful guideline to keep your debt manageable..\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lower DTI not only improves your chances of getting approved, but also gives you more flexibility to handle unexpected expenses without added financial stress.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What debt-to-income ratio do you need to get approved for a mortgage?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lenders consider several factors to determine whether to approve a mortgage application, and DTI is a key one. In many cases, lenders prefer a DTI below 36%. However, some borrowers may still qualify with a higher DTI \u2013 often up to 45% or more \u2013 depending on factors like credit score, savings, and income stability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When is your DTI ratio too high?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your debt-to-income ratio is generally considered too high if it exceeds your lender\u2019s maximum ratio. This can vary by lender. Most prefer for borrowers to stay below 36%, but some will accept DTI ratios of up to 45% or higher if you have strong compensating factors, like a higher credit score or larger down payment..<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DTI requirements by loan type<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The type of loan you apply for can impact your required debt-to-income ratio.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Loan Type<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>DTI requirement<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional loan<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">36%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/usda-eligible-homes-for-sale\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USDA loan<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">41%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-does-a-va-loan-work\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VA loan<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically 41%, but flexible depending on lender guidelines<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/what-is-an-fha-loan\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FHA loan<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">43%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to lower your DTI ratio<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your debt-to-income ratio might be high now, but there are ways to lower it. Some strategies include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pay down existing debt, especially<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> high-interest debt.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increase your income<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by taking on work on the side, if possible.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Avoid taking out new loans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while preparing to apply<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increase your down payment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce how much you need to borrow.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQs about debt-to-income ratio<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is debt-to-income ratio based on pre-tax income?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, your gross monthly income, or pre-tax income, is used to calculate your DTI.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is student loan debt included in the debt-to-income ratio?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re currently paying off outstanding student loan debt, those monthly payments can be factored into your DTI.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I get a mortgage with a high DTI?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a high debt-to-income ratio won\u2019t stop you from getting a mortgage. However, you may need compensating factors like a higher credit score, larger down payment, or strong savings to qualify.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn what debt-to-income ratio you need to get approved for a mortgage as well as how to calculate, evaluate, and improve your DTI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":109321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[34276],"tags":[34529,3621,4007],"coauthors":[34341],"class_list":["post-109314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buying-a-home","tag-buying-faq","tag-finance","tag-home-buyer-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.7 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What DTI Ratio Do You Need to Buy a House? 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