W2 buyer path
Salary is the easy part. The property payment is where deals get tight.
Use gross monthly income, real monthly liabilities and the target property's carrying costs to estimate whether the house fits before you apply.
The W2 readiness workflow
A simple income profile still needs a disciplined property-level analysis.
Confirm gross income
Use stable qualifying income, not take-home pay.
Inventory monthly debt
Include liabilities that may appear in underwriting, not only the bills you remember.
Use real property costs
Taxes, insurance and HOA can move DTI more than buyers expect.
Compare financing paths
Conventional, FHA, VA and assistance options can change both payment and cash needs.
Run the same decision engine on the actual property.
The new analyzer replaces a disconnected W2 calculator with a full buyer + property diagnosis.