Key takeaway
Approval is not the same as affordability, and the safest payment is the one your monthly life can still support.
Affordability is not the same as approval
Lenders may approve a payment that still makes your monthly life too tight. Your budget needs to absorb not only principal and interest, but also maintenance, insurance, taxes, and repairs.
Term length changes more than the monthly payment
A 30-year mortgage lowers the monthly burden but expands total interest. A 15-year mortgage raises the payment but usually builds equity faster and reduces total borrowing cost.
Down payment size matters in two ways
It changes both the loan balance and the amount of cash you still have after closing. A larger down payment is not automatically better if it leaves you with no reserve.
Think about time horizon
Buying can make less sense if you expect to move again soon. Transaction costs and maintenance risk can overwhelm the upside of ownership in the early years.
Related next steps
Use the Mortgage Calculator for payment estimates and the Renting vs Buying page for a wider decision framework.