Short answer
Affordability after divorce is based on your documented income including any usable support, minus support you pay and other obligations, measured against the full housing payment — principal, interest, taxes, insurance and any association dues.
Start with the payment, not the price
Purchase price is a byproduct. The number that governs daily life is the monthly payment, and in New Jersey property taxes and insurance are a meaningful share of it.
Build in room
After a divorce, reserves matter. A payment that works only if nothing goes wrong is a stressful payment. Leave margin for maintenance, childcare changes and the unexpected.
Frequently asked
Do lenders count my full support payment against me?
Support paid is generally treated as an obligation, though treatment differs by program. Support received may be usable if it meets requirements.
About the author
Abdel Khawatmi, CDLP®
Certified Divorce Lending Professional and founder of Got Mortgages, a division of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. Abdel works with divorcing homeowners, attorneys, mediators, financial professionals and real estate professionals across New Jersey. NMLS #1712023. He is not an attorney, tax advisor or financial advisor, and this article is educational only.