If you can prove that your mortgage payment will not be more than 1/3 of your income you should have success assuming your credit history is good. You must be able to show steady earnings over the last 3 years, though. It helps to be able to put down a significant (20%) amount of the sale price.
As a first-time home buyer there are many more options available to you as far as financing goes. There are more and more 0% down and no fee loans for homes in less than stellar neighborhoods. Again, you must have good credit.
Mortgage loans are about the numbers, more so than car loans which can be "massaged" through the bank. So, if you meet the minimum income requirements and have good credit you need to start talking to lenders. There are a lot of online lenders, too, but as a first-time buyer it might be nice to have a live person to talk to. It doesn't cost you anything to walk into the bank and discuss your options. Also, many realtors are also mortgage brokers and would be happy to work with you. Either of these people should be able to tell you the size of the loan you qualify for based on your particular situation.
