Are You Spending Too Much on Housing? Mortgage Trends by Age

ljubaphoto / Getty Images Who can afford to buy a home these days? We run the numbers to find out. Key Takeaways To test whether a home will be affordable, you can use the 28/36 rule. Another rule of thumb is not to take out a mortgage worth more than two or three times your household income. The typical (median) mortgage today is only affordable for couples—in just about every age group. A bigger yard. A real asset. A blank slate to make a place your own. Whatever your reason, buying a home is a ...