Mortgage Qualifier Tool (2024)

From Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

This calculator helps you determine whether or not you can qualify for a home mortgage based on income and expenses.

Mortgage stress test

To qualify for a mortgage loan at a bank, you will need to pass a “stress test”. You will need to prove you can afford payments at a qualifying interest rate which is typically higher than the actual rate in your mortgage contract.

You need to pass this stress test even if you don’t need mortgage loan insurance.

Credit unions and other lenders that are not federally regulated do not need to use this mortgage stress test.

Banks must use the higher interest rate of either:

  • 5.25%
  • the interest rate you negotiate with your lender plus 2%

Enter the highest of the two rates above in the field Annual interest rate to determine if you can pass the stress test.

If you already have a mortgage, you’ll need to pass this stress test if you:

  • refinance your home
  • switch to a new lender, or
  • take out a home equity line of credit

Property Information

$

This is the amount you expect to borrow from your financial institution. It may include the purchase price of your home plus the mortgage loan insurance.

Please specify how much you would like to consider as down payment. Please note that it is assumed the down payment is not borrowed.

The minimum down payment is 5% for the first $500,000, 10% for the portion of the house price above $500,000 up to 1 million dollars and 20% for any house price over 1 million dollars.

This tool does not include mortgage loan insurance when you have a down payment of 20% or more or when the property value is $1 million or more. Please note that in some situations, you may be required to get mortgage loan insurance, even if you have a down payment of 20% or more. For example, if you’re self-employed or have a poor credit history.

Annual interest rate for this mortgage.

The number of years and months over which you will repay this loan. The most common amortization period is 25 years. Not to be confused with the term of your loan, which is the duration of the loan agreement you signed with your financial institution and that has to be renewed regularly. Terms are generally for 1 to 10 years.

By choosing an accelerated payment frequency, you can reduce your amortization period and save thousands of dollars in interest in the long run. For example, the accelerated bi-weekly payment allows you to pay half of your monthly payment every two weeks. You will therefore make 26 payments a year, the equivalent of one extra monthly payment a year.

The number of term years.

Your Income and Anticipated Expenses

$

per

Please specify your yearly or monthly gross income. This value should be the total of the household income if you are buying the property with a partner.

If you have sources of income other than a salary, ask your lender if they will include these sources for mortgage qualification. For example, self-employment income, commissions, bonuses, tips, investments, rental income, spousal and child support payments, disability insurance payments, etc.

$

per

Please enter an estimated value of heating cost for the property you intend to buy. Heating costs usually represent 1% of the value of the home.

$

per

Please enter an estimated value of taxes you would pay for the property you intend to buy.

$

per

Please enter the total monthly or yearly value of credit card or line of credit payments. This value should be the total of your payments as well as your partner payments if you are buying the property with a partner.

$

per

Please enter your monthly or yearly value of car payments. This value should be the total of your payments as well as your partner payments if you are buying the property with a partner.

$

per

Please enter your monthly or yearly value of other payments. This value should be the total of your payments as well as your partner payments if you are buying the property with a partner.

FCAC uses a Gross Debt Service (GDS) ratio of 32% and a Total Debt Service (TDS) ratio of 40% in this tool as a guideline. You may still qualify for a mortgage even if your GDS and TDS ratios are slightly higher. However, higher GDS and TDS ratios mean that you are increasing the risk of taking on more debt than you can afford.

Mortgage Qualifier Tool (1)

You will likely be approved for a mortgage amount of $200,000.00 since your GDS ratio (30.84%) does not exceed 32.00% and your TDS ratio (39.84%) does not exceed 40.00%.

Mortgage Required
Request Amount

This is the actual mortgage amount you are requesting - calculated by subtracting down payment (if any) from the value of the property you specified.

$200,000.00 ($250,000.00 - $50,000.00)
Mortgage Loan Insurance Premium

The minimum down payment required is 5% of the estimated value of the property; therefore, if no down payment specified it is assumed to be 5% of the estimated value of the property.
If your down payment is less than 20%, your mortgage will be considered a high ratio mortgage and you will have to pay a mortgage insurance premium, which protects the mortgage lender in case you can no longer make your mortgage payments. This insurance is usually provided by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or another private insurer (such as Genworth Financial). The amount of the premium will depend on the percentage you can put as a down payment:
I) If you make a down payment of 5% to 9.99%, you will pay a premium of 4.00% of the estimated value of the property.
II) If you make a down payment of 10% to 14.99%, you will pay a premium of 3.10% of the estimated value of the property.
III) If you make a down payment of 15% to 19.99%, you will pay a premium of 2.80% of the estimated value of the property.

NOTE: If your down payment exceeds 20%, the lender may still require you to purchase this insurance. In this case, the premium will be as follows:
A) down payment of 20 to 24.99%: 2.40% of the estimated value of the property.
B) down payment of 25% to 34.99%:1.70 % of the estimated value of the property.
C) down payment of 35% and up: 0.60% of the estimated value of the property. This calculator assumes that no premium is charged when the down payment is over 20%. Check with your mortgage lender.
Normally, the mortgage insurance premium is included as part of your mortgage payment. However, you may be able to pay it as a one-time payment and not have it included in your mortgage payment. Check with your mortgage lender.
This calculator assumes that the mortgage insurance premium is included in your mortgage payment.

$0.00 ($200,000.00 * 0.00%)
Total Mortgage Amount Required

This is the total mortgage amount.

$200,000.00

Read on below about GDS (Gross Debt Service) & TDS (Total Debt Service) ratio calculations to find out how your qualification for this mortgage was determined.

GDS Ratio Calculation
Mortgage Payment

This is the amount of mortgage you would pay per period.

$1,191.84/month
Heating Cost

Calculated heating cost per month.

+ $150.00/month
Property Taxes

Calculated property taxes per month.

+ $200.00/month
GDS Ratio Cost

Calculated GDS Ratio Cost per month: GDS Ratio Cost per month = Mortgage Payment per month + Heating Cost per month + Property Taxes per month.

= $1,541.84/month
Gross Income

Calculated Gross Income per month.

÷ $5,000.00/month
GDS Ratio

This is the calculated GDS Ratio based on the values you specified: GDS Ratio Cost per month ÷ Gross Income per month.
Please note that the GDS Ratio must be under 32% to be approved for the mortgage.

= 30.84%Mortgage Qualifier Tool (2)
TDS Ratio Calculation
GDS Ratio Cost

Calculated GDS Ratio Cost per month: GDS Ratio Cost per month = Mortgage Payment per month + Heating Cost per month + Property Taxes per month.

$1,541.84/month
Credit Card / Line
of Credit Payments

Calculated credit card/line of credit payments per month.

+ $100.00/month
Car Payments

Calculated car related payments per month.

+ $350.00/month
Other Debt Payments

Calculated any other debt related payments per month.

+ $0.00/month
TDS Ratio Cost

Calculated TDS Ratio Cost per month: TDS Ratio Cost per month = GDS Ratio Cost per month + Credit Card/line of credit payments + Car payments per month + Other debt payments per month.

= $1,991.84/month
Gross Income

Calculated Gross Income per month.

÷ $5,000.00/month
TDS Ratio

This is the calculated TDS Ratio based on the values you specified: TDS Ratio Cost per month ÷ Gross Income per month.
Please note that the TDS Ratio must be under 40% to be approved for the mortgage.

= 39.84%Mortgage Qualifier Tool (3)

Based on your GDS and TDS ratios, you could qualify for a mortgage with a maximum amount of $201,369.98, or a home with a maximum cost of $251,712.48 - assuming that your down payment would be the same percentage as what you entered in the calculator (20.00%).

Moreover, based on values you entered a summary report can be produced. The report includes all your input values, the qualification results, payment schedule as well as a list of other things to consider before applying for a mortgage. You may print the report and bring it with you when you visit the mortgage lender.

We offer this mortgage calculator as a self-help tool for your use. This tool does not replace professional financial advice. We cannot guarantee that this calculator will apply or be accurate in your situation. For example, your mortgage lender may make its calculations in a different way. All calculations are examples only.

Mortgage Qualifier Tool (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate to qualify for a mortgage? ›

Most lenders require that you'll spend less than 28% of your pretax income on housing and 36% on total debt payments. If you spend 25% of your income on housing and 40% on total debt payments, they'll consider the higher number and qualify you for a smaller amount as a result.

How much mortgage can I qualify for with a 200K salary? ›

How much house can I afford if I make $200K per year? A mortgage on 200k salary, using the 2.5 rule, means you could afford $500,000 ($200,00 x 2.5). With a 4.5 percent interest rate and a 30-year term, your monthly payment would be $2533 and you'd pay $912,034 over the life of the mortgage due to interest.

How much mortgage can I qualify for with a 120k salary? ›

So start by doing the math. If you make $50,000 a year, your total yearly housing costs should ideally be no more than $14,000, or $1,167 a month. If you make $120,000 a year, you can go up to $33,600 a year, or $2,800 a month—as long as your other debts don't push you beyond the 36 percent mark.

How do you know if you will qualify for a mortgage? ›

Tips to qualify for a mortgage include improving your credit score, reducing debt, and saving for a down payment. Lenders consider factors like income, employment history, and debt-to-income ratio when evaluating mortgage applications.

How much house can I afford if I make $36,000 a year? ›

On a salary of $36,000 per year, you can afford a house priced around $100,000-$110,000 with a monthly payment of just over $1,000. This assumes you have no other debts you're paying off, but also that you haven't been able to save much for a down payment.

How much income do I need for a $500,000 mortgage? ›

In today's climate, the income required to purchase a $500,000 home varies greatly based on personal finances, down payment amount, and interest rate. However, assuming a market rate of 7% and a 10% down payment, your household income would need to be about $128,000 to afford a $500,000 home.

Can I afford a 300k house on a 50K salary? ›

A person who makes $50,000 a year might be able to afford a house worth anywhere from $180,000 to nearly $300,000. That's because your annual salary isn't the only variable that determines your home buying budget. You also have to consider your credit score, current debts, mortgage rates, and many other factors.

Can I afford a 500k house on 100k salary? ›

To afford a $500,000 house, you need to make a minimum of $91,008 a year — and probably more to make sure you're not house-poor and can afford day-to-day expenses, maintenance and other debt, like student loans or car payments. One good guideline to follow is not to spend more than 28 percent of your income on housing.

Can I afford a 300k house on a 60K salary? ›

An individual earning $60,000 a year may buy a home worth ranging from $180,000 to over $300,000. That's because your wage isn't the only factor that affects your house purchase budget. Your credit score, existing debts, mortgage rates, and a variety of other considerations must all be taken into account.

Can I afford a 400k house with a 120k salary? ›

The annual salary needed to afford a $400,000 home is about $127,000. Over the past few years, prospective homeowners have chased a moving target: homeownership.

How much income do I need to qualify for $100000 mortgage? ›

Lenders look for your monthly payment to be lower than 28% of your gross monthly income. A 100K mortgage payment at 7% interest on a 30-year term is $665.30. For this payment to be less than 28% of your monthly income, your monthly income needs to be over $2,376, assuming you have no debt.

What house can I afford with a 150k salary? ›

With a $150,000 salary, you could afford a home priced around $415,000-$430,000, assuming you have $20,000 saved up for a down payment and are carrying some monthly debt already, such as a car payment or student loan. This also assumes an interest rate of 7%.

What is the easiest home loan to get? ›

FHA loan: 500 credit score

You can qualify for an FHA loan with a low credit score of 500 and a 10% down payment, or 3.5% down if your FICO is 580 or above. FHA loans accept applicants with credit scores as low as 500. Applicants with scores between 500 and 579 need a 10% down payment.

What are the three main items to qualify for mortgage? ›

Those three key elements are Credit, Down Payment, and Income. When applying for a mortgage you need to consider not only your credit score, but you're your overall credit profile. Yes, that 3-digit number is important, but additionally, what does the rest of your credit report look like.

Is it difficult to get a mortgage right now? ›

After a housing market boom and bust, mortgage lenders have become more strict in their lending standards and requirements. It is not impossible to get a loan, but it is much harder for potential buyers to obtain one than before.

How much do I need to make to qualify for a $300 000 mortgage? ›

With a 5% down payment and an interest rate of 7.158% (the average at the time of writing), you will want to earn at least $6,644 per month – $79,728 per year – to buy a $300,000 house. This is based on an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $2,392.

How much do you have to make a year to qualify for a $400000 mortgage? ›

Your payment should not be more than 28%. of your total gross monthly income. That means you'll need to make 11,500 dollars a month, or 138 k per year. in order to comfortably afford this 400,000 dollar home.

How much do you have to make to qualify for a $300000 mortgage? ›

How much do I need to make to buy a $300K house? To purchase a $300K house, you may need to make between $50,000 and $74,500 a year. This is a rule of thumb, and the specific salary will vary depending on your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, type of home loan, loan term, and mortgage rate.

How much money do you have to make to qualify for a $250 000 mortgage? ›

If a borrower has no other debt obligations, a conforming loan for a $250,000 property with 10% down in a 7% rate environment would require a gross monthly income of approximately $3,870, factoring in a 50% debt ratio.

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