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Money · US home affordability
American Dream Affordability Check
What does homeownership actually require at your income and location? Get the down payment timeline and whether the monthly cost fits — in plain numbers.
Instant result
Plain-English why
Copyable takeaway
What this means
No waffle. Just the number and how it was worked out.
Formula used
Years to purchase = (down_payment_required - current_savings) / annual_savings_rate; Monthly affordability = (income × 0.28) vs (mortgage + taxes + insurance)
Worked example
A household income of $90,000 in Austin, TX with $20,000 saved at a 20% savings rate: needs $60,000 more for a 20% down payment on a $400,000 home — roughly 3.3 years at current savings rate.
Common questions
What is the 28% rule?
A standard affordability guideline: housing costs (mortgage, taxes, insurance) should not exceed 28% of gross monthly income. Lenders use this to assess mortgage eligibility.
Why does the down payment matter so much?
A 20% down payment avoids PMI (private mortgage insurance), which adds $100-300/month to the cost. Getting below 20% means you pay for PMI until you build 20% equity.
Plain-English summary
The result summary for this calculator will live here.
This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.
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