STICK TO A HOUSE LIMIT

House buyer beware—almosteveryone involved in the sale of ahouse is eager to sell you morehouse than you can really afford,including the seller, the real estatebroker, and the mortgage lender.You could end up mortgaging yourfinancial future as well as the newhouse.To figure out how much youcan pay for a new home, use the28/36 rule—no more than 28% ofyour postpurchase income shouldgo to mortgage, property taxes, andhome insurance, and total debt service,including credit card payments,shouldn't add up to more than 36%of your income. Calculators at www.money.com or www.fanniemae.comcan help you with the math.