You do not need to be debt-free to qualify for a mortgage on a custom home in Southwest Florida. Lenders focus on two key numbers: your debt-to-income ratio (ideally below 43%) and your credit score. Paying off debt before buying a house is less about eliminating every balance and more about building a strong, well-rounded financial picture. If you’ve spent a lifetime making smart financial decisions, you already know that. But when the idea of building a custom retirement home starts to take shape, it makes complete sense to pause and ask the harder questions. Should I pay down what…
