Mortgage Affordability Calculator: What It Actually Tells You (And What It Doesn’t)

A mortgage affordability calculator is a useful starting point, but its output is only as accurate as the rate assumption powering it — and bank-embedded tools rarely reflect the full wholesale market. This article breaks down what the calculator genuinely tells you, where it falls short, and how comparing rates for free (with no hard credit pull) can meaningfully change your affordability ceiling.