Are you ready to buy a home?

See how you read to a mortgage lender — affordability, down payment, and credit — plus the fastest thing to fix. No credit pull, no account.

What mortgage lenders look for

• Debt-to-income — about 28% housing / 36% total (QM caps near 43%)
• Down payment — 3% conventional / 3.5% FHA / 20% to drop PMI
• Credit — about 620 conventional floor, best pricing 740+
• Reserves — often 2 to 6 months of payments after closing

See 2026's best mortgage lenders

More readiness checks

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A directional estimate based on the factors approvers typically weigh — not a credit pull, a binding pre-qualification, or financial advice. ClearValue Lending is a financial-decisions platform, not a lender, issuer, insurer, or advisor.