Buying Power Calculator

House hunting without a budget is how people end up falling for homes they can’t actually buy.

Our buying power calculator estimates the property price range you can shop in, based on your income, expenses, savings and location, so you walk into inspections with a real number instead of a guess.

From there, an Apt Wealth Finance specialist can turn that estimate into an actual pre-approval.

Lenders look at your whole financial picture, not just your salary, before deciding what they’ll offer. A few factors carry more weight than people expect.

• Income: steady wages, bonuses, rental or business income all count, and consistency matters more than the total.
• Expenses: everyday spending, from groceries to subscriptions, reduces what’s left over for repayments.
• Debts: credit cards count against you even if you never use them. A $10,000 limit can trim your borrowing power by thousands.
• Deposit: a bigger deposit lowers the lender’s risk and can help you avoid lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) above 20%.
• Employment and credit history: stable, full-time income and a clean credit record generally open up more options.

Lenders also apply a serviceability buffer, testing your repayments at a rate above what you’d actually pay, under guidance from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).

• Gives you a realistic property price ceiling before you start inspecting homes.
• Shows how a change in expenses or debt would move your budget up or down.
• Helps you decide whether to wait, save more or start looking now.
• Sets you up for a proper pre-approval conversation, rather than an educated guess.

A number from this calculator is a starting point. Here’s what typically comes next.

• Pre-approval: your adviser arranges this with a suitable lender, so you can shop with confidence.
• The full cost picture: stamp duty, legal fees, LMI and inspections all sit on top of the purchase price.
• Comparing loan options: fixed versus variable, offset accounts, flexible repayments, matched to your goals.
• Grants and concessions: first home buyers in particular may be eligible for state-based support, which is worth checking before you buy.

• Borrowing Capacity Calculator
• Savings Goal Calculator
• Stamp Duty Calculator