Second, your total debt payments (including car loans and child support) should not exceed 36%.
A simple way to evaluate mortgage affordability is applying the 28/36 rule to your budget. Specifically, this rule refers to your monthly housing expenses (including mortgage, property taxes, and insurance) not exceeding 28% of your gross income. Second, your total debt payments (including car loans and child support) should not exceed 36%. So, if your pretax monthly income is $7,000, your monthly house payment should be $1,960 or less.