How Much Can You Actually Borrow? A Guide to Borrowing Power

Borrowing power is a calculation, not a guess — but every lender runs the numbers slightly differently, which is why two banks can give you answers tens of thousands apart.

Income is the starting point, but lenders shade overtime, bonuses and rental income. Existing commitments — car loans, HECS, credit card limits (not balances) — reduce capacity fast.

Living expenses are benchmarked against household size and location, and every application is stress-tested at a rate roughly 3% above the actual rate.

Because assessment policies differ, matching your profile to the right lender is often worth more than chasing the headline rate.