Calculators and quick answers.
Run the numbers yourself before you talk to anyone. No email, no signup, no pressure — just math you can trust.
Mortgage Mom Radio's free tools include calculators for monthly mortgage payments, home affordability, rent vs. buy comparisons, extra-payment payoff acceleration, debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, and the blended interest rate across all of your debts. All calculators run in your browser — no email, signup, or credit pull required.
The page also offers free downloadable PDF guides: a First-Time Homebuyer Guide, a Mortgage Document Checklist, a Refinance Decision Worksheet, and Closing Costs Explained. Tools are maintained by Debbie Marcoux, NMLS #237926, a mortgage loan originator licensed in 14 states.
These calculators give illustrative estimates from the numbers you enter. They are not a loan offer, rate quote or commitment to lend, and they don't show current rates. Your actual rate, payment and eligibility depend on your credit, income, property and loan program.
Mortgage Payment
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA — the real monthly cost of a home, not just the loan part.
- Principal & interest$0
- Property tax$0
- Home insurance$0
- HOA$0
- PMI $0
Loan amount: $0 · Down: 0%
Affordability
How much house can you actually buy? This uses the 43% back-end DTI most conventional lenders cap at, then backs into a max purchase price.
- Max monthly PITI$0
- Max loan amount$0
- Down payment$0
This is what underwriting allows. What you should spend may be lower — talk to Debbie.
Rent vs. Buy
How many years until buying beats renting? Factors in mortgage cost, appreciation, opportunity cost on your down payment, and rent inflation.
- Monthly mortgage (P&I + tax + ins)$0
- Cost to own after 5 yrs$0
- Cost to rent after 5 yrs$0
- Cost to own after 10 yrs$0
- Cost to rent after 10 yrs$0
“Cost” here means net out-of-pocket after equity, appreciation, and the opportunity cost of investing your down payment instead. The monthly figure assumes property tax of 1.1% of the price per year and $1,400 a year for insurance. Illustrative only, not an offer.
Extra Payment
How much faster do you pay off the loan — and how much interest do you save — if you throw an extra amount at the principal every month?
- Standard payoff—
- With extra payment—
- Interest paid (standard)$0
- Interest paid (with extra)$0
- Interest saved$0
Tip: even $100 extra per month on a 30-year loan can shave years off and save tens of thousands.
Debt-to-Income (DTI)
The single number underwriters care about most. Front-end is housing only; back-end is housing plus every other monthly debt.
- Conventional cap43–50%
- FHA capup to 56.9%
- VA capno hard cap (residual income matters)
Blended Interest Rate
Your real cost of borrowing isn’t your mortgage rate — it’s the weighted average of everything you owe. Add up your debts to see the blended rate, then test whether consolidating into one loan would actually beat it.
- Interest per month at your blended rate$0
- Interest per month at the compared rate$0
- Monthly interest difference$0
- Highest-rate debt you carry—
A lower blended rate is only half the story. Stretching short-term debt back out over 30 years can cost more in total interest even at a better rate, closing costs come out of the savings, and rolling credit cards into your home turns unsecured debt into debt secured by your house. Educational math only — not a quote or an offer of credit.
Quick answers.
What does a mortgage loan originator do?
A mortgage loan originator (MLO) helps borrowers find and qualify for home loans. They evaluate your financial situation, recommend the right loan program (conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, DSCR, bank statement, etc.), submit your application to lenders, and shepherd you from pre-approval through closing. Debbie Marcoux is a licensed mortgage loan originator, NMLS #237926.
How is Mortgage Mom Radio licensed?
Debbie Marcoux holds NMLS #237926 and is licensed in 14 states: Arizona (AZ-0941504), California (DFPI), Colorado (100546228), Florida (FL-LO76508), Georgia (GA-69178), Hawaii (HI-237926), Idaho (ID-MLO-2080237926), Illinois (IL-031.0058339), Nevada (NV-57237), North Carolina (NC-I-210940), Oregon, Tennessee (TN-184373), Texas, and Washington (WA-MLO-237926). Loans are originated through JMJ Financial Group, NMLS #167867.
How do I qualify for a home purchase loan?
Qualification depends on credit score, debt-to-income ratio, down payment, employment history, and the property itself. Minimum credit scores and down payments differ by loan program (conventional, FHA, VA and others). Run the Affordability and DTI calculators on this page, then call 844-935-3634 to talk through your own scenario.
What is a DSCR loan?
A Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loan qualifies you for an investment property based on the property's rental income rather than your personal income. If the property's expected rent covers the mortgage payment, you may qualify without tax returns or W-2s. It is often used by self-employed investors, short-term rental owners, and portfolio builders.
What is a bank statement loan?
A bank statement loan lets self-employed borrowers qualify using 12–24 months of personal or business bank statements instead of tax returns. The lender averages your deposits to calculate qualifying income. Ideal for business owners whose tax returns show low net income after deductions.
How do I know if refinancing makes sense?
It depends on three things: (1) the rate gap between your current loan and today's market, (2) how long you plan to stay in the home, and (3) how long it takes to recover your closing costs, your break-even point. The free Refinance Decision Worksheet on this page walks through the break-even math, and recent Mortgage Mom Radio episodes cover current-market conditions.
Done running numbers?
When you're ready for the real version of these numbers — with your actual rate, your actual program, and your actual approval — Debbie's a phone call away.
Plain-English guides you can actually use.
Print ‘em, share ‘em, scribble on ‘em. No email required.
First-Time Homebuyer Guide
Everything I wish every first-time buyer knew before they started: how lenders look at you, what credit really means, down payment myths, and the timeline from pre-approval to keys.
Download PDF
Mortgage Document Checklist
The exact paperwork you need to gather before you apply — W‑2s, pay stubs, asset statements, ID. Tick the boxes as you go.
Download PDF
Refinance Decision Worksheet
Plug in your current rate, your new quote, and your closing costs. The worksheet tells you the break-even month so you stop guessing whether it’s worth it.
Download PDF
Closing Costs Explained
Every line item on a Loan Estimate — what it is, who keeps the money, and what’s negotiable. The page nobody reads, written in English.
Download PDFWant me to walk you through any of these? Reach out or start an application.
