Start With a Monthly Plan, Not an Income Multiple
A new attending contract can change your options, but salary alone does not establish a responsible home price. Build a written household plan before selecting listings or asking a lender for a maximum approval.
Map the Full Housing Cost
Include principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners and flood insurance where applicable, association obligations, utilities, routine maintenance, and a reserve for larger repairs. For a custom build or renovation, include professional fees, allowances, carrying costs, changes, and contingency.
Protect Cash and Flexibility
Write down the cash you need for closing, moving, immediate work, and required lender reserves. Separately decide what emergency and career-transition reserves you want to preserve. Consider the possibility of a start-date change, variable compensation, a job move, or a period on one income.
Include Every Competing Priority
Model student-debt payments, other debts, taxes, retirement savings, insurance, transportation, support for family members, travel, and other priorities that matter to your household. A lender's approval calculation is not a substitute for this plan.
Compare Financing in Writing
Ask licensed lenders to quote the same property, price, down payment, and timing assumptions. Compare the qualifying income and debt inputs, rate, APR, points, fees, mortgage insurance, cash to close, reserves, total monthly cost, and what may change before closing.
Check a Less Favorable Case
Run a base case and less favorable cases: higher insurance or taxes, an unplanned repair, lower variable compensation, a delayed start, or a shorter ownership period. Choose a range that still supports your reserves and other priorities under conditions you consider realistic.
Use the Right Professionals
CGP can help translate an independently established budget into a property-search and due-diligence plan. Confirm financing with a licensed lender and seek qualified financial, tax, insurance, engineering, inspection, and legal advice where appropriate. CGP is not a lender, financial adviser, tax adviser, insurer, engineer, inspector, or law firm.
Build the Home-Search Plan
Once you have a written financing and household-cost range, schedule a consultation to build a Houston home-search plan around it.