How much house can I afford in Louisiana?

All-in cost first, always. Estimate only — not a loan quote or pre-approval.

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Louisiana at a glance

Median home price
$260,300
Typical closing costs
2%–5% of price
Transfer tax
None
Closing custom
attorney
Homestead exemption
Louisiana's constitutional homestead exemption exempts the first $75,000 of a primary residence's fair market value (roughly $7,500 of assessed value, since Louisiana assesses residential property at 10% of fair market value) from parish/local ad-valorem property tax — it does NOT apply to municipal (city) taxes in most cities. Only one homestead exemption per person/household; the owner must own and occupy the home as a primary residence as of January 1 of the tax year and apply once with the parish assessor (renews automatically after initial application, in most parishes). Typically saves a homeowner roughly $750-$800/year. Separate, larger exemptions exist for seniors (65+) and disabled veterans via the 'special assessment level' freeze and additional exemption amounts, not modeled here.

First-time buyer / down payment assistance programs

  • Louisiana Housing Corporation MRB Home / MRB Assisted Program

    Louisiana Housing Corporation's primary Mortgage Revenue Bond first-mortgage program for first-time homebuyers statewide: MRB Home offers below-market interest rates with 5%-9% down payment/closing-cost assistance for households at 80% AMI or below; MRB Assisted offers market-rate financing with a soft-second loan equal to 4% of the mortgage amount (income up to 140% AMI in Qualified Census Tracts / Targeted Areas). Both require a 640 minimum credit score and completion of homebuyer education.

  • Louisiana Housing Corporation Pathways to Homeownership Soft Second

    Deferred, 0%-interest soft-second loan covering the affordability gap between what a buyer can afford and the purchase price: up to 20% of purchase price (max $55,000) plus up to $5,000 in closing-cost assistance (max $60,000 total), forgiven if the buyer occupies the home for the full 10-year term. For households at or below 80% AMI.

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Mortgage payment calculator

Estimated all-in monthly payment for a home price you have in mind.

First-time buyer programs

Check which down payment assistance programs you likely qualify for.

Take-home pay calculator

What actually reaches your account after federal tax, FICA, and your state's own brackets — with local income tax disclosed rather than guessed at.

Related reading

Closing Costs in Louisiana: What You'll Actually Pay

9 min read

Louisiana charges no statewide real estate transfer tax at all. Here's what it really costs to close on a $260,300 Louisiana home, and who signs off on it.

What Is PMI, and How Do You Get Rid of It?

15 min read

Private mortgage insurance explained in plain English — what it costs, why it exists, the exact federal rules for cancelling it, and how to work out the month your PMI is scheduled to end.

Guides & templates

Buying a Home With Someone Else

$4.99

The operational guide to buying property with a partner, friend, sibling, or parent — credit and DTI mechanics, title vesting, a clause-by-clause co-ownership agreement, and how the exit actually works.

The First-Time Buyer's Playbook: 12 Months to Closing Day

$4.99

A month-by-month plan for the year before you buy: what to do in each phase, what never to touch, how to document every dollar, and how to survive closing day.