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How much money can I borrow?

When taking out a home loan, everyone’s existing and future financial situations are going to be somewhat unique – so let’s first take a look at what the lending industry thinks before investigating the additional factors that are likely to be applicable to you as an individual.

The lending industry indirectly recommends that people not borrow more than 80% of the property value through the general application of policies which enforce that borrowers pay for Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) in order to be approved for a loan worth more than that.

Effectively, they are saying that buyers should have at least a 20% property deposit saved. A 20% deposit on a $450,000 house is $90,000!

Essentially, lenders are protecting themselves from a situation where:

  • a borrower ‘defaults’ on the mortgage (unable to pay or ‘service’ the loan), forcing the bank to repossess the property AND
  • the value of the property has fallen to be worth less than what’s owed on the mortgage

In this situation, the lender might not be able to fully recover what’s owed to it by selling the repossessed property – resulting in a loss for the lender.

Can’t afford a 20% deposit?

You may still be able to be approved for a home loan with a deposit of under 20% of the property’s value. For many lenders, the minimum required deposit is often 5%.

But there are two things you should consider when applying for a home loan with a deposit under 20%:  

  1. Lender’s mortgage insurance: Typically, borrowers that don’t have a deposit of at least 20% are required to pay for LMI, which can add tens of thousands to the cost of the mortgage, depending on the lender and what loan-to-value ratio (LVR) percentage you have.  
  2. Guarantors: If you can get one of your family members to act as a guarantor, you may be approved for the mortgage without having to pay LMI. To be successful, the family member must be able to demonstrate either their own capacity to repay your loan and be willing to be liable for your home loan if you default on a payment or to put their own property equity forward as collateral.

How much should you borrow for a mortgage?

No matter which path you take with your deposit and securing a loan approval, it’s essential to calculate your personal finances to give you a better idea of just how much you should (not ‘could’) borrow. Here are five things to consider before taking out a mortgage.

1. Household income

When assessing your finances, ask yourself what kind of lifestyle you want. Are you single? Married? Have a baby on the way? Do you like designer shoes or do you eat out regularly? Ask yourself if you’re willing to make sacrifices and if so, where are you going to reduce your spending? Your household income is one of the first things a lender will look at when determining if you’re eligible for a home loan. If you can show a record or budget of your spending habits per week, this can help prove you’ll be able to meet the repayments required.

2. Credit rating

A credit rating, or credit score, is the next thing a lender will look at to determine how much a risk you are as a borrower. Many people don’t ever check their credit rating and are surprised when their application gets refused. It’s a good habit to check your credit rating once a year to make sure you’re either on the right track or working towards improvement.

3. Property price and value

The next thing a lender will assess is the type of property you’re interested in and what purpose you’re buying the property for. Is it an investment property or are you looking to live in the home as an owner-occupier?

Another important thing to consider is the value or potential future value of the property you’re purchasing. Are you buying a house, apartment or land?

These questions will all have an impact on your borrowing power.

4. Home insurance

Home insurance is designed to protect your property from damage caused by events out of your control. As your home is your biggest investment, it’s important you ensure you’re able to afford home insurance before applying for a home loan.

5. Other costs

Similar to home insurance, there are a number of costs (both upfront and ongoing) associated with buying and owning a property. A few of these include stamp duty, LMI (if applicable), home loan establishment fees, legal and inspection costs, council rates, water utility rates and general property maintenance.

Buying a home is a big decision and should not be taken lightly. Assessing your borrowing capacity is just one of the ways to determine how much you can borrow for a home loan, but working out how much you should borrow will always be a personal decision based on a raft of other individual factors including how much risk you can tolerate and how much you are willing to sacrifice to ensure that you can make the most of your valuable property purchase.



Looking for a home loan?

Buying a home or looking to refinance? The table below features home loans
with some of the lowest interest rates on the market for owner occupiers.

Lender

Fixed
More details
  • Available for purchase or refinance. 90% LVR
  • Fast turnaround times. Can meet 30-day settlement
  • No monthly or ongoing fees, split with low-rate variable loan
Disclosure

loans.com.au – Fixed Rate OO P&I (3 years)

  • Available for purchase or refinance. 90% LVR
  • Fast turnaround times. Can meet 30-day settlement
  • No monthly or ongoing fees, split with low-rate variable loan
Disclosure
Variable
More details
Apply in minutes
  • No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount
  • Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80%
  • A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.
Disclosure
Apply in minutes

Unloan – Variable Rate Home Loan LVR < 80%

  • No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount
  • Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80%
  • A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.
Disclosure
Variable
More details

Bendigo Bank – Express Home Loan (OO P&I)

    Variable
    More details
    4.6 Star Customer Ratings
    Disclosure
    4.6 Star Customer Ratings

    loans.com.au – Variable Home Loan (LVR < 90%)

      Disclosure
      Variable
      More details
      Disclosure

      Macquarie Bank – Basic Home Loan (Owner Occupier, Principal and Interest, max 70% LVR)

        Disclosure
        Variable
        More details

        ubank, part of National Australia Bank – Neat home loan - max. 80% LVR (Owner occupied, Principal and interest)

          Variable
          More details
          Disclosure

          Macquarie Bank – Offset Home Loan (Owner Occupier, Principal and Interest, max LVR 70%)

            Disclosure
            Variable
            More details
            Disclosure

            Westpac – Flexi First Option Home Loan (Promo) - Principal & Interest (LVR up to 70%)

              Disclosure
              Variable
              More details
              Disclosure

              ANZ – Simplicity PLUS Home Loan (Principal and Interest) (LVR < 70%) (New Customer) Special offer

                Disclosure
                Variable
                More details
                Disclosure

                NAB – Tailored Home Loan Variable Rate - Principal and Interest LVR 60% or less

                  Disclosure
                  Variable
                  More details
                  Disclosure

                  Commonwealth Bank – Wealth Package Variable Home Loan (Principal and Interest) (LVR 80% - 90%)

                    Disclosure
                    Variable
                    More details
                    Disclosure

                    loans.com.au – Solar Home Loan (Principal & Interest) (LVR < 90%)

                      Disclosure
                      Variable
                      More details

                      Heritage Bank – Discount Variable $700,000+ LVR<=70%

                        Variable
                        More details

                        Gateway Bank – Green Plus Home Loans

                          Variable
                          More details

                          Bank Australia – Clean Energy Home Loan Package Eco/Eco Upgrade LVR <90%

                            Variable
                            More details

                            Up – Up Home Variable (Principal & Interest) (LVR < 90)

                              Variable
                              More details

                              Tiimely Home – Live-in Variable Loan Home Loan (Principal and Interest) (LVR < 90%)

                                Variable
                                More details

                                Bank of us – FlexiDiscount Variable Rate Loan Special <80% LVR

                                  Variable
                                  More details
                                  • Estimate your borrowing power in as little as 1 minute
                                  • Complete your application in as little as 15 minutes
                                  Disclosure

                                  Macquarie Bank – Basic Home Loan (Owner Occupier, Principal and Interest, max 60% LVR)

                                  • Estimate your borrowing power in as little as 1 minute
                                  • Complete your application in as little as 15 minutes
                                  Disclosure
                                  Variable
                                  More details

                                  HomeStar – Star Essentials Owner Occupied

                                    Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

                                    Base criteria of: a $400,000 loan amount, variable, fixed, principal and interest (P&I) home loans with an LVR (loan-to-value) ratio of at least 80%. However, the ‘Compare Home Loans’ table allows for calculations to be made on variables as selected and input by the user. Some products will be marked as promoted, featured or sponsored and may appear prominently in the tables regardless of their attributes. All products will list the LVR with the product and rate which are clearly published on the product provider’s website. Monthly repayments, once the base criteria are altered by the user, will be based on the selected products’ advertised rates and determined by the loan amount, repayment type, loan term and LVR as input by the user/you. *The Comparison rate is based on a $150,000 loan over 25 years. Warning: this comparison rate is true only for this example and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Rates correct as of September 19, 2024. View disclaimer.

                                    Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning