Allen Markel, REALTOR® · Texas Premier Realty

Buying

What can I afford?

Income and debts in — a comfortable target price out, with the 36% math shown.

Minimum payments — not groceries or utilities.

A typical recent 30-year rate. Edit to your lender's quote.

Property tax: 2.25% typical in Harris County. Typical total rate for the 17,904 homes for sale in Harris County (median of their certified 2025 tax bills; most are between 2.13% and 2.51%). Add your ZIP for a closer figure.

Typical in Harris County: $80/mo (74% of homes for sale there list an HOA). Set 0 if yours has none.

A comfortable target price

$247,877

36% of income (total debt ceiling)
$2,880
Minus your monthly debts
−$600
Room for the house payment
$2,280
Principal & interest ($232,877 loan)
$1,501
Property tax (2.25% typical)
$465
Home insurance (budgetary est.)
$114
PMI (est., 0.62% a year at 6.1% down)
$120
HOA dues
$80

Backed into a price using the typical 2.25% total property-tax rate in Harris County, budgetary insurance, estimated PMI under 20% down (Freddie Mac: about $30–$70 a month per $100,000 borrowed) and your HOA. Lenders may approve more — this is the comfortable number.

Live listings across our six counties.

We’re not a lender and this isn’t an application — it’s a budgetary estimate using the classic 36% guideline. A lender pre-approval is the real number; we’re happy to introduce you to one below.

Talk to a lender

These are the lenders Allen works with. For any lender you’d like to talk to, tap Make introduction — we’ll make the introduction for you.

Allen Markel is a licensed Texas REALTOR®, not a mortgage lender or loan originator. He does not quote rates or terms and does not decide whether you qualify — only a lender can do that. Introductions are a courtesy; you choose who to work with.

Numbers raising questions? Walk through them with a person.

Schedule time with Allen