Your real affordability, your state's assistance match, and your action plan — in 30 seconds. No email required.
The Calculator
Private — nothing is stored or sent.
FHA 31/43 DTI guidelines · 3% minimum down, before assistance.
Before you call a lender
Your closing sheet will carry roughly seven negotiable fees — usually $3,000+ stacked on top of what you just calculated. The Quick-Start Rate & Fee Playbook hands you the 6-question lender script, all 7 fees by name, and the word-for-word phrases that get them reduced or waived.
Your Personalized Action Plan
Generated from your inputs above — recalculate any time and the plan updates instantly.
What happens at the closing table decides whether you keep your assistance money — or quietly hand it back in fees. The Homebuyer's Edge is the script for that room.
Watch The Walkthrough
What each input means, how to read your report, and what to do with your plan. Jump to any chapter.
The walkthrough demonstrates the calculator end to end with a real example: entering your state, income, debts, savings, target price, rent and savings rate; how the FHA 31/43 debt-to-income guidelines produce the price you likely qualify for; reading the payment breakdown (P&I, tax, insurance, total PITI) and the payment-shock check against your rent; how the risk chips flag DTI, payment shock and thin reserves; how your down payment gap, time-to-goal and state program match are calculated; and how to download or email your personalized report and action plan. Narration uses an AI voice.
Assistance In Your State
Every program links directly to the official state housing finance agency — not a lead-gen page.
Data sources: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (rate benchmark) and the official state housing finance agency pages linked under each program. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Common Questions
Every answer sourced from official program data.
Down payment assistance (DPA) is money — a grant, forgivable loan, or low-interest second loan — that helps cover your down payment and/or closing costs. As of Q1 2026 there are 2,679 such programs nationwide, 77% of them active and funded (source: Down Payment Resource's Q1 2026 quarterly program count), run by state housing finance agencies, cities, counties, and some employers.
It varies enormously by state and program — from a few thousand dollars up to $100,000 in some city-specific programs (e.g. NYC HomeFirst). Most state programs fall in the $7,500–$15,000 range or 3–5% of the loan amount. See your state's matched program above.
Not always. Many programs are for first-time buyers, but a large share are open to repeat buyers who haven't owned a home in the past three years, or to specific groups (teachers, veterans, healthcare workers).
Many state programs set a 620 minimum, paired with income limits based on area median income. Requirements are set by each agency and vary — check the official program page linked above.
Depends on the program. Some are outright grants. Many are deferred, forgivable second loans (forgiven after living in the home a set number of years). Others are low- or zero-interest loans repaid on sale or refinance.
Usually yes — DPA is designed to pair with a first mortgage. FHA loans need 3.5% down, VA and USDA allow 0% down, and DPA can often cover part or all of that plus closing costs, subject to lender and program rules.