# Lender approval may not reflect true home affordability 2026-08-09T13:55:00+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Hindustan Times reports that the amount a lender approves for a mortgage often exceeds what a buyer can truly afford. Devon Hawkins, assistant teaching professor at Elon University, says lender approval creates a “false sense of security” because it ignores personal lifestyle, savings, and future plans. The 28/36 rule recommends spending no more than 28% of pre-tax income on housing and keeping total debt below 36% of gross income. Down payment size, credit score, and interest rates also significantly affect monthly payments. Buyers must include property taxes, insurance, and other debts in their budget, not just the mortgage principal and interest. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Tags: affordability, credit score, debt-to-income, home buying, mortgage, personal finance Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/lender-approval-may-not-reflect-true-home-affordability/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/lender-approval-may-not-reflect-true-home-affordability/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.