If you make 70K, you probably take home $4400. What are you comfortable paying per month? Personally, I’d go no higher than 40% of gross monthly which would be $1800. You can afford a 400K home with an $1800/mo mortgage with an 170K downpayment. That buys a decent home where I live in rural Western Washington. Or wait for the fall of capitalism and parasitic commodification of housing!