If you’ve been following the headlines lately, you may have seen reporting on how $800 monthly car payments are straining budgets and slowing auto sales. It’s a compelling story about the car industry. But from where I sit, there’s another story hiding in those numbers — one that affects far more people and almost never gets told.
That $800 car payment isn’t just hurting your ability to buy a car. It’s quietly taking a massive chunk out of what you can qualify for when you’re ready to buy a home.
Quick answer: At today’s common 6% rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage, every $100 in monthly car payment reduces your home buying power by approximately $16,679. An $800 car payment alone eliminates $133,432 in mortgage qualifying amount — before a lender even looks at the rest of your file.
