If you’re in the midst of buying a home, a layoff or temporary furlough probably has you worried that those plans have hit a wall. Suppose you’re swept up in one of the many large-scale corporate layoffs or among the 1.4 million or so civilian federal workers in a no-pay limbo due to the government shutdown. In that case, you might be wondering: Can I get a home loan without a job? The answer is yes — but qualifying takes some extra work, more transparency, and a mortgage lender willing to get creative abo ...

When you apply for a mortgage, one way your lender will assess your financial capacity to afford your loan is to calculate your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Your DTI ratio compares your total gross monthly income to your total monthly debt payments. Different mortgage lenders and loan programs have varying DTI ratio requirements. Learn more: How much house can you afford? Use our home affordability calculator. What is debt-to-income ratio? The term "DTI" can be confusing because most borrowers have two ...