Need a little extra so you can buy your dream property? Here are 4 tips that can help maximise your borrowing power.

Need a little extra to buy your dream property? Hint: Tip #3 can help get you an extra $25,000 in borrowing power almost instantly

Hint: Tip #3 can help get you an extra $25,000 in borrowing power almost instantly**

If you’re looking to maximise your borrowing power, then this case study will show you how to get more from lenders. Scott is a Business Development Manager who wanted to buy a property for $635,000. But he was having trouble raising the money because his income came from incentives, bonuses and commissions rather than a full time salary. Since lenders treat full time salaries differently, they looked at Scott as a “riskier bet”. So we worked with him to maximise his borrowing power. If you’re in a similar situation – or if you’ve found a property that’s outside your existing borrowing capacity – here are a few handy tips that will get lenders offering you more:

Tip #1 – Get That Pay Rise

Most people don’t know that even the slightest raise in income can yield a tremendous increase in borrowing power. In fact, as little as $10,000 delivers up to $50,000 in newfound borrowing power! Below is a chart showing how much extra lenders are willing to offer based on increases in income. As you can see, it’s possible to borrow as much as $200,000 on an extra $40,000! That number can be even higher if you’re expecting a pay rise. What is the maximum amount you could borrow on a home loan, based on your current salary? This assumes two married applicants with a total household income shared between them evenly, no dependents, living in the Sydney metro area, with living expenses based on HEM. Maximum borrowing power is based on a principal and interest repayment over 30 years at an assessment rate of 7.3% p.a.

Tip #2 –Keep Documents That Verify Your Income

A quick and easy way to maximise your borrowing power is to have your paperwork handy. It sounds obvious but lenders only assess you based on your declared income. Unfortunately, many people seek financing based on a word and handshake. This costs them borrowing power, oftentimes hundreds of thousands! If you’re an employee: avoid frustration and get your pay slips in order – you’ll need at least 6 months. If you have a second income, pull that documentation together. If you’re applying for a loan with a partner: ensure they have all their documentation too.

Tip #3 – Pay more tax

If you’re self employed: you may be seeking to minimise your income to lower tax. But again, remember, lenders only assess you on your declared income. As you will see in the table below, an extra $30,000 in declared income can increase your borrowing capacity by almost $200,000! So be sure to talk with your accountant and a qualified mortgage expert before making any decisions about your financial goals. This assumes a single applicant with no dependents, living in the Sydney metro area, with living expenses based on HEM. Maximum borrowing power is based on a principal and interest repayment over 30 years at an assessment rate of 7.3% p.a.

Tip #4 –Slice Up Those Credit Cards

This is another easy way to maximise your borrowing power. With credit cards, lenders don’t just look at your spending patterns – they assess you based on your credit limit. So if you only spend $1,000 per month on your card, but have a limit of $10,000, lenders assess you on the full $10,000. In terms of borrowing power, that’s up to $45,000 less you can borrow! Below is a chart showing how to magnify your borrowing power by losing those credit cards. This graph demonstrates how reducing your credit card limit can increase your borrowing power by as much as $87,000. The scenario in this graph assumes two married applicants with a total household income of $90,000 a year, shared between them evenly, no dependents, living in the Sydney metro area, with living expenses based on HEM. Credit card payments are calculated at 3% of the credit card limit. Maximum borrowing power is based on a principal and interest repayment over 30 years at an assessment rate of 7.3% p.a.

Borrowing Power is NOT a Fixed Number

Here’s a final tip to remember: your borrowing power is NOT a fixed number. As you’ve learnt in this article, it’s possible to magnify your borrowing power – sometimes based on a few extra pay slips! Plus, your borrowing power will vary from lender to lender too. So make sure you work with a qualified expert who knows which lenders to approach based on your unique situation. And, as always, consider loan amounts suited to your circumstances and capacity. Need a home loan?UNO. The new way to get a better deal. Get StartedBook a call in with UNO

5 stars for our service reviews from clients

Book Call Now

UNO home loans

Try Plans, by UNO
Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
Considering a purchase or refinance?

Try Plans by UNO

Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
☎ đŸš« No cold call promise

Related Articles

TESTIMONIALS

What our customers are saying

Philip Smith
December 20, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons provided my wife and I outstanding service for our home loan. I have never dealt with someone who is so helpful and goes the extra mile and provides such excellent service the way Mike did. Highly recommend Mike as your broker for all investment/home loans you won’t be disappointed.
Read more
Neil Venkataramiah
December 20, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons: Working with Mike was amazing. My wife and I were a couple from Sydney that had a 7 year stint overseas. On moving back, our loan had gone from Interest Only to Principal and Interest. The challenge: to get 2 recently re-patriated Aussies on an Interest Only loan. With only 1 year of Oz financials. And with income from an overseas company. We had equity in our property, but the ability to service was the issue. A very tough brief. Step in Mike. He contacted all his lenders, knowing that this was a unique situation. He never let up and followed through with calls and whatsapps at every stage of the process. We simply could not have got our Interest Only loan if it wasn’t for Mike. I highly recommend Mike for any loan or re-finance that you’re looking at. His attention to detail and ability to find creative solutions is second to none. And most importantly - he's a good guy that will guide you through the whole process in what can be a stressful time. Steph and Neil
Read more
Stéphane Aumont
December 19, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Highly recommend Mike - great service, very responsive and helped us through the whole process from product selection, approval all the way to settlement. Mike is supported by a great team at UNO
Read more
Gemma Smith
December 19, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons was truly amazing when he organized our home loan. He offered service that far exceeded my expectations. He was on top of everything and was very organised. He has a true “do it now” attitude and ensured everything ran smoothly. He went above and beyond to make sure everything was in place. He was always contactable (even when he was on holidays!). Keeping us up to date at every step and his communication was great! Would VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Mike!
Read more
David Thorn
December 17, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I had a fantastic experience with UNO Home Loans. I want to personally recognise the work of Mike Parsons from UNO. Mike went above and beyond in helping me navigate and select a lender his attention to detail, knowledge of the Market, Excellent Communication skills matched by a patient and friendly personality made the whole process simple and painless. Thanks Mike and thanks UNO
Read more
Kathryn Cretney
November 14, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Paul helped us from day one before we even arrived in Australia so we knew exactly what we needed to prepare. He’s got a tonne of knowledge and was really lovely and supportive to deal with. Helpful and easy going. Would highly recommend - now in our first Aussie home and Paul made the process all very easy!
Read more
Sean O'Neill
November 14, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
We received excellent service and a tailored solution to our home loan requirements from Uno. Paul kept us informed at all milestone stages and throughout the process he demonstrated a ‘can do’ attitude that ultimately allowed us to get over the line and meet our deadline. We’re most grateful and very impressed. Highly recommend
Read more
Crush Huston
November 8, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Paul is an amazing broker. Communicative, responsive and knows his stuff! Highly recommend
Read more
Amanda Pearce
November 7, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
After just four months in Australia, our New Zealand home sold, prompting us to stop renting and invest locally. We found Paul through a Kiwi Facebook group, and his exceptional service exceeded our expectations. From initial contact, Paul provided clear explanations, friendly communication, and prompt responses to our queries, making our mortgage process remarkably smooth. We highly recommend him.
Read more
Dom Saric
November 3, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons went above and beyond to ensure that our refinancing journey was painless and successful. He was communicative, accessible (even working while on holidays!), and his knowledge of the systems at play meant that he picked up on things that other brokers missed. Would 100% recommend Mike, and will definitely be back next time we need a broker.
Read more
Ashleigh Breaden
October 31, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons handled our refinance of our home loan with ease and a depth of knowledge that ensured we got the best deal possible for our situation. We didn't have an easy one to solve for with my husband being self employed and we were consolidating finances as well for a car loan. But Mike handled it all for us and once we had provided him with all the documents we literally didn't have to do a thing after that, it was so easy and so quick we are super happy with the experience! Top notch! Highly recommend!!
Read more
Kyle Richards
October 10, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Absolute legend, helped me through the first home buyers scheme, explained everything in a way that made sense, was very knowledgeable and a joy to work with.
Read more