A homebuyer’s total monthly housing costs compared to their gross income is used to calculate which financial metric?

The total monthly housing costs compared to a homebuyer's gross income is used to calculate the Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio. This financial metric helps lenders assess a borrower's ability to manage monthly payments and repay debts. The DTI ratio is calculated by dividing the total debt payments (including housing costs like mortgage, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and other debts) by the gross monthly income, which provides a percentage reflecting the proportion of income committed to servicing debt.

A lower DTI ratio generally indicates a borrower is more financially stable and can handle additional loans, while a higher ratio suggests they may struggle to meet monthly obligations. This is critical information for lenders when determining loan eligibility and potential risk. The other metrics listed do not focus on the relationship between housing costs and income, making them unrelated to this specific calculation.