According to Experian, 83% of those Americans who do not own a home claim that student loan debt is holding them back from purchasing a dwelling. However, student loan debt does not have to be a major stumbling block to home ownership. Mortgage lenders will be most concerned with a potential borrower's repayment history and how any existing debt could impact the ability to make timely mortgage payments. The debt to income ratio is an important metric that lenders examine, and a ratio of 43% or lower is desirable. Calculate this ratio by dividing the sum of all monthly debt payments (student loans, credit card minimums, auto loan, etc..) by the amount of monthly pre-tax income.