Worked examples
Real numbers, real scores.
“buy a $400K home in 2 years”
30%
Bold, But Sane
- Cash needed
- $92,000
- Required / month
- $3,000
- Monthly shortfall
- $1,500
“buy a $250K starter home this year”
19%
Suspiciously Reasonable
- Cash needed
- $32,500
- Required / month
- $1,709
- Monthly shortfall
- $509
“buy a $1M house in 3 years”
50%
Optimism Detected
- Cash needed
- $230,000
- Required / month
- $4,723
- Monthly shortfall
- $1,723
How it’s scored
Math, not vibes.
Every factor is scored on its own, capped, and added up to a score from 0 to 100. Same inputs, same score, every time. It measures how hard the plan leans on optimism, not your odds of success.
Full methodologyDeposit gap
Monthly saving needed for the down payment plus ~3% closing costs ÷ $250.
max 30
Contribution gap
(required monthly saving − planned saving) ÷ $150.
max 30
Price-to-income
(home price ÷ yearly income − 3) × 8. Many lenders cap around 4–5×.
max 30
Timeline compression
(24 − months) × 0.5.
max 10
Questions
Before you commit.
How much do I need for a house deposit?
Your down payment plus closing costs. The calculator uses your down payment percentage plus about 3% of the price for closing costs, so a $400,000 home at 20% down needs roughly $92,000 in cash.
What price-to-income ratio can I afford?
Many lenders cap mortgages at around 4 to 5 times income, so homes well above that multiple are harder to finance whatever your deposit. The calculator flags anything above 5×.
Is this mortgage advice?
No. It assumes today's price and no investment returns or family help. Talk to a lender or advisor for what you can actually borrow.