Huh. I hadn't seen that--thanks for pointing it out.
While I realize that the change is stupid, is it possible that having an amount to pay back on student loans may actually open up more doors when it comes to applying for a mortgage? i.e., say an intern makes $45,000 (probably about the national average for 2009, which will be my first year of residency). That student will be paying about $350/month or $4200/year on loans under the income based repayment scheme. Using a 38% rule and assuming no other debt on cars or credit cards, that would leave $1075/month for a mortgage under a traditional loan.
In other words, wouldn't having an amount that you can show lenders you are paying each month make it easier to show that you can actually afford a mortgage?
Sorry for all the questions. My wife and I visited the city of a residency program I'm really interested in and drove through some neighborhoods we'd like to live in, so housing is on my mind at the moment.