I have saved up for a down payment on a house for the last ten years. Each week, I would take 10% of my paycheck and put it in a special savings account that I could not access. Once I finally had enough money put away, I began looking for houses in the area that I could afford. But, what could I really afford? How much of a mortgage could I qualify for? There are some mathematical formulas that can be used to help you determine how much of a mortgage you can qualify for and actually afford. My blog will teach you how to make this determination.