Redfin

JULY 30, 2025

Key takeaways: First-time homebuyer: Anyone who hasn’t owned a primary residence in the past three years Common first-time homebuyer qualifications: Credit score, debt-to-income ratio, down payment, income limits, employment history, purchase limits, homebuyer education Buying your first home? Let’s get started.

Debt-to-income ratio

Redfin

JUNE 13, 2025

That increase significantly shrinks your buying power, even if your income or equity has improved since your first home. rate, financing a $400,000 home with a typical 20% down payment, your monthly principal and interest would run about $2,050—compared to roughly $1,435 at a 4% rate (all else being equal). Example cost impact: At a 6.8%

Debt-to-income ratio

Redfin

JULY 30, 2025

A shorter mortgage term will result in a higher monthly payment since you’ll be paying off the principal balance faster. With a longer mortgage term, you’ll have a lower monthly payment because the principal is stretched over more years. Should I get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage?

Pre-approval

Redfin

JULY 11, 2023

You then make monthly payments, including principal and interest, over an agreed-upon term (usually 15 to 30 years) until the loan is fully repaid. Government-backed loans, such as FHA or VA loans, provide more flexible qualification criteria and specific benefits. How does the mortgage pre-approval process work?

Pre-approval

HomeLight

MAY 31, 2021

One of the first things you’ll want to know is just how much house you can afford , which is based on your income, credit score, debt-to-income ratio (DTI), and savings amount (including your down payment). I had some clients a few years ago that had trouble qualifying because they had a lot of debt.

Mortgages

Redfin

AUGUST 29, 2024

Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) Another major factor that a lender will consider when approving your mortgage loan is your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). DTI is calculated by dividing total monthly debts by gross monthly income. The number is then multiplied by 100 to get the final percentage.

Earnest money deposit

The Close

DECEMBER 29, 2022

How else would you and your clients understand how much is being paid in principal and interest over the years? Debt-to-income ratio (DTI). You can help your clients calculate their DTI by adding together all of their monthly payments and dividing the total by their gross monthly income. Original principal balance.

Purchase and sale agreement