How Much Can I Borrow for a Home Loan in Australia?

Australian lenders assess borrowing capacity using your income, living expenses (or the HEM benchmark — whichever is higher), existing debts, and an assessment rate that is typically 3% above the actual loan rate.

What lenders include

• PAYG income (usually 100%), bonuses and overtime (often shaded)
• Rental income (typically 80%)
• Self-employed income from the last two tax returns
• Credit card limits (3.8% of the limit per month)
• HECS/HELP debt at the relevant repayment tier