Mortgage Pre-Qualification: PITI and DTI, Explained Simply
The two ratios that decide every pre-qual — and how brokers automate them without a spreadsheet.
2026-05-20 · mortgage · guides
Every pre-qualification reduces to two numbers. PITI — principal, interest, taxes, insurance — is the real monthly payment. DTI — debt-to-income — is that payment (front-end) plus all other debts (back-end) against gross income.
Program limits differ
Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and Jumbo each draw the DTI lines differently, which is why a borrower can fail one program and clear another. Good software checks all five at once and reports the maximum loan each supports.
From calculator to pipeline
SerapisERP's Mortgage module does the math instantly and files the applicant into a pipeline with follow-ups — because a pre-qual that never gets a callback is a lead you paid for and lost.