Calculators

How much house can I afford in Utah?

Enter your income, monthly debts, and down payment to see a realistic price range. Test your own rate — nothing here is a quote.

$120,000
$500
$60,000
6.5%
Term (years)

Estimated price range up to

—

Target housing payment: —/mo

Estimated loan amount: —

Limited by —.

Get your real number

Estimate only, based on the 28/36 debt-to-income guideline and the figures you entered — including a rate you chose to test, which is not a rate offered or advertised by EMK Mortgages. It excludes items like mortgage insurance, HOA dues, and closing costs, and it is not a pre-qualification, approval, or commitment to lend. Your actual budget will differ. For a real, personalized range, reach out to Emily and Leif.

How this works

The 28/36 guideline

Lenders often use the 28/36 rule as a starting point: keep your housing payment near 28% of your gross monthly income, and your total debts — housing plus car, student, and credit-card payments — under about 36%. This calculator applies that guideline to the numbers you enter, then works backward from a comfortable payment to a price range. It is a starting point, not a limit: your loan program, credit, and down payment all move the real number, which is exactly what a conversation with Emily and Leif sorts out.

How much house can I afford on my income?
A common starting point is the 28/36 rule: aim to keep your total housing payment near 28% of your gross monthly income, and all your debt payments — housing plus car, student, and credit-card payments — under about 36%. This calculator applies that guideline to the numbers you enter to estimate a price range.
Does this affordability estimate include property taxes and insurance?
It can. The property-tax and home-insurance fields are optional; leave them at zero and the estimate reflects principal, interest, and your debts only. Your real payment will also include items like mortgage insurance and any HOA dues, so treat the number as a starting point.
How much house can I afford if I make $70,000 a year?
Work it backwards rather than looking for a single number. At $70,000 gross, the 28% housing guideline puts you near $1,633 a month for the whole housing payment — principal, interest, taxes, and insurance together. What price that buys depends entirely on the rate you can get, your down payment, and how much other debt you carry: a car loan of a few hundred a month can move the answer by tens of thousands. Enter your own figures above and the calculator does that arithmetic for you.
What income do I need to afford a $500,000 house in Utah?
Reverse the same guideline. Estimate the monthly payment on a $500,000 price at the rate and down payment you expect, then divide by 0.28 to get the gross monthly income that keeps you inside the housing ratio, and multiply by twelve. The reason we will not publish a flat "you need $X" figure is that the answer swings with the rate — the same house can require meaningfully different income a few months apart. Model it above, then let us check it against real program guidelines.
Is this the same as getting pre-qualified?
No. This is a self-serve estimate based on the figures you enter, including a rate you chose to test. A pre-qualification is a short conversation with Emily and Leif that looks at your full picture — income, credit, and program options — and gives you a realistic range you can shop with.

Once you know your range, the next question is which loan gets you there. See the first-time home buyer programs in Utah, or how conventional loans work.

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See how your down payment moves the loan, your LTV, and the 20% mortgage-insurance line.

Want a number you can shop with?

A short conversation gives you a realistic price range for your actual situation — no guessing.

Talk to Emily & Leif