Brian Wittman | Blue Jean Broker
Calculator

How Much Home
Can I Afford?

Plug in your real numbers. Get a home price based on your life, not just a bank formula.

Your Comfortable Home Price
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Monthly Payment
$0
Bank Max Approval
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Your Income
$
Before taxes, your total pay before anything is taken out
Your Monthly Take-Home
$0
Estimated 30% withheld
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Your Monthly Obligations
$
Car, student loans, credit cards, personal loans
$
Groceries, gas, utilities, insurance, entertainment, savings, everything except housing
3
Savings and Down Payment
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Savings, brokerage, anything liquid you could put toward this purchase
$
Emergency fund plus cushion for first-year costs. Everything else goes toward down payment and closing.
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Loan Details and Illinois Taxes
Uses the higher end of typical rates for your county. Your actual rate may be lower depending on municipality and school district.
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Enter the rate you have been quoted. This tool does not assume a rate for you.
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Auto-filled from county, or enter manually

Illinois Property Tax Reality

Illinois has among the highest property taxes in the nation, often ranked near the top. On a $250,000 home at 2.3%, you'd pay $479/month in property taxes alone, often more than principal and interest in the early years. Always check the exact rate for a specific address.

Your Comfortable Home Price
$0
Total monthly: $0, covering principal, interest, taxes and insurance
Based on 70% of your discretionary income. Real comfort may be lower if your income varies, a life change is coming, or you want extra runway. When in doubt, play it safer.
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Your Comfortable Price
$0
$0/mo
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Bank Max Approval
$0
$0/mo

Monthly Payment Breakdown

Principal and Interest $0
Property Tax $0
Homeowners Insurance (est.) $100
Total PITI $0
Annual Property Tax $0

Your Down Payment Breakdown

Total Cash Available $0
Minus Reserves -$0
Minus Est. Closing Costs (3%) -$0
Available for Down Payment $0
Down Payment % 0%

Closing costs (title, lender fees, escrow, transfer taxes, etc.) typically run about 3% of the home price in Illinois. We factor that in so your down payment reflects what you'll actually have available after covering the cost to close.

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Let's build a personalized homebuying gameplan around your numbers.

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Questions? wittman.brian@gmail.com

Why These Two Numbers Are Different

Your Comfortable Home Price is built from your actual take-home income and real expenses. It answers: "What can I afford without becoming house poor?" If you confirmed your expenses include annual costs, this uses 85% of what's left after debts and expenses. If not, we use 70% to build in a buffer for what most people forget.

Bank Max Approval is based on your gross income and the 28% front-end and 43% back-end debt-to-income rules. Banks don't factor in groceries, gas, savings, kids' activities, or your life. They only see documented debts.

The comfortable number is a starting point, not a destination. If your income varies, a life change is coming, or you just want more breathing room, dial down from here. The point of this tool isn't to give you a target. It's to show you the ceiling before life gets in the way.

What Does PITI Cover (and What It Doesn't)

PITI stands for Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance. That's the four-part monthly cost the bank uses to evaluate your loan. The number we show you covers all four.

What PITI does NOT cover: utilities, HOA dues, maintenance, repairs, and the dozens of smaller costs that come with owning instead of renting. Plan for those separately. The first year of homeownership typically runs 2% to 3% of your home's value beyond your mortgage payment.

© 2026 Brian Wittman, Blue Jean Broker | Chicago suburbs, Illinois

Real Estate | Mortgage | Life Insurance | Financial Literacy

Educational tool only. Not financial, lending, real estate, tax, or legal advice. Brian Wittman is licensed in real estate (Real Broker LLC, IL License #475.164962), mortgage origination (NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Company NMLS #1660690; Brian Wittman, MLO NMLS #2646598; AZBK #2006218; Equal Housing Lender; NEXA corporate office: 5559 S Sossaman Rd, Bldg 1, Ste 101, Mesa, AZ 85212), and life insurance (Levinson & Associates). This is not a commitment to lend, and all loans are subject to credit approval. Consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation. Verify mortgage licensing at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Full disclosures at bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.