To qualify for a mortgage, lenders typically assess your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which indicates the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward debt payments. For conventional loans, the front-end DTI should not exceed 28-31%, while the back-end DTI is usually capped at 36-45%. FHA loans may allow back-end ratios up to 50%, and VA loans can reach 41%, with higher limits possible on a case-by-case basis. Factors like a strong credit score, larger down payment, or substantial savings can provide flexibility in these requirements.