Buyer Check: home affordability report
Find a home price you can live with, not just the bank's max
A pre-approval tells you the most a lender will lend. Buyer Check shows what you can comfortably pay. Answer a few questions about your income, debts, credit and down payment, and we work out a realistic price range, the full monthly cost including taxes, insurance and PMI, and what to get ready before you talk to lenders.
Buyer Check
$69one-time, no subscription
Usually ready in a few minutes once you've answered the questions. You download it as a PDF from your account.
See a sample report first (PDF, opens in a new tab)- If we can't produce your report, email hello@mortgagelens.ai and we'll refund you in full.
- Independent. We never take money from lenders.
Also included in the Buyer Pilot bundle, with two other reports for the same home purchase.
- A comfortable target price, with the upper limit shown for reference
- Monthly cost with property tax, insurance, PMI and HOA
- Expected rate range for your credit profile
Who it's for
Is Buyer Check right for you?
First-time buyers
You want a number you can trust before you start touring homes or talking to lenders.
Buyers in high-cost states
Property taxes and insurance vary a lot by state. The report uses assumptions for your state and shows a range when those costs swing widely.
Two incomes, or debts to juggle
Add a co-borrower and your monthly debts. The math uses a 43% debt-to-income cap, a common lender limit.
What you get
What's in your Buyer Check report
What you'll tell us
No documents to upload. A short guided set of questions covers:
- Your monthly income before taxes (and a co-borrower's, if any)
- Your monthly debt payments, such as car, student loan and card minimums
- Your credit score range and your down payment savings
- Where you want to buy, the type of home, and any expected HOA fee
Your comfortable price and the ceiling
A target price that leaves room in your budget, plus a ceiling at a 43% debt-to-income ratio, a common lender limit (some lenders approve more), so you can see the gap.
The full monthly cost
Principal and interest, property tax, homeowner's insurance, PMI and HOA, using assumptions for your state.
Expected rate range
Based on your credit score range and current national average rates, with the rate the math used stated plainly.
Next steps that fit where you are
A pre-approval checklist if you're ready to shop, or a 6 to 12 month preparation plan if you're not there yet.
Lender types to consider
Categories that fit your profile, such as credit unions, online lenders or local banks. We don't name or recommend specific lenders.
Check-ins while you shop
Email check-ins at about 3, 6 and 12 months. If rates drop at least half a point and that raises your price ceiling by 5% or more, we also email you the new numbers (at most once every 60 days). You can stop them anytime.
How it works
How Buyer Check works
Step 1: Buy and answer a few questions
Check out, then answer a short set of questions in a guided chat. It takes a few minutes.
Step 2: We run the numbers
Our software applies a 43% debt-to-income cap, the rate for your credit tier and cost assumptions for your state. AI explains the result.
Step 3: Download your report
Your PDF is usually ready in a few minutes. Take it into pre-approval knowing your number, not just the bank's.
Why it's different
Why the bank's number isn't your number
Lenders qualify you with a debt-to-income ratio: the share of your gross monthly income that goes to your housing payment and other debts. The highest amount they'll approve leaves little room for savings, repairs, childcare or a change in income.
Buyer Check works out a ceiling at a 43% debt-to-income ratio, a common lender limit (some lenders approve more), and reports a comfortable target below it, so you can decide how close to the edge you want to be. It also adds the costs a quick estimate often misses: property tax and insurance for your state, PMI if you put down less than 20%, and any HOA fee.
Want a quick estimate first? The free affordability calculator and mortgage payment calculator need no sign-up.
Sample report
See a full sample Buyer Check
A fictional buyer's report with a comfortable price range, the 43% debt-to-income ceiling, the monthly cost breakdown and a pre-approval checklist.
FAQ
Buyer Check questions
Do I need to upload anything?
No. Buyer Check runs on your answers to a short set of questions: income, debts, credit score range, down payment and where you want to buy.
How is this different from a pre-approval?
A pre-approval is a lender's view of the most it will lend you. Buyer Check is an independent look at what you can comfortably afford, with the full monthly cost and a plan to get ready. We don't make loans.
How is this different from the free affordability calculator?
The calculator is a quick estimate from the numbers you type in. Buyer Check adjusts the rate to your credit tier, uses tax and insurance assumptions for your state, shows a comfortable price next to the ceiling, and gives you a checklist or a preparation plan.
Will you tell me whether to buy?
We don't tell you whether to buy a particular home. We show you what your numbers support today and what would give you more room. If your numbers don't fit a common lender limit yet, the report says "Wait and prepare" and gives you a 6 to 12 month plan instead of a pre-approval checklist. Whether and when to buy is always your call.
Does it cover first-time buyer programs?
If you're a first-time buyer, the report lists assistance programs worth researching in your state, where we have them on file. It doesn't check whether you qualify.
What if you can't produce my report?
If we can't produce your report, email hello@mortgagelens.ai and we'll refund you in full.
Know your number before you shop.
Answer a few questions and get a price range you can live with, the full monthly cost and your next steps.
$69one-time
Usually ready in a few minutes once you've answered the questions.
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