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

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Kyle Richards
October 10, 2024
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.
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Chloe S
October 8, 2024
Mike Parsons made it possible for us and the in laws to get 2 pretty complicated home loans. He helped us through everything and we'd be happy to use Mike and the team again for anything we needed. Thanks again!
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Sam Rezai
October 2, 2024
I have gone through 6 different mortgage brokers prior to meeting Andrew Wyers. He is the most patient mortgage broker I’ve encountered and also the most knowledgable about the bank’s lending process and products available. It took me 1 year to find a house I was happy with and Andrew was always there to assist with any issues or questions I had; he always return my phone call, even on the weekends or when his away on holidays. The loan process was smooth and I had no complications. The process with Andrew was again nice and easy, he took the time to find and put together the right package that was suited to my situation. I have recommended Andrew to my family & friends and everyone have been grateful and completely satisfied with his service.
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S Wilko
September 23, 2024
I had not dealt with Scott or UNO before finding them on the internet. Even as an Australian citizen living and working overseas, I knew obtaining a loan would be difficult. However, Scott went above and beyond what I expected from a mortgage broker. I genuinely don’t think you could find another company that works as hard as they did to get my home loan approved. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Everyone I dealt with at UNO were extremely professional and helpful. If you are looking for a broker, you would be mad not to give them a go. Thanks to Scott Wilkinson, Dalby Bajwa, Jena Lasquite and Andrew Pacini. Shaun.
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Shan Liao
September 3, 2024
I had an outstanding experience with Tian Liu. He was incredibly professional and attentive, going above and beyond to meet my needs. His expertise and dedication made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Tian's deep knowledge of the market and commitment to finding the best solutions for his clients truly sets him apart. He was always available to answer my questions and provided invaluable guidance throughout. I highly recommend Tian Liu to anyone in need of a reliable and skilled broker!"
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Nathanael Chin
September 3, 2024
Tian Liu provided exceptional service throughout the entire process. His professionalism and keen attention to detail were evident from the start. Tian consistently kept us informed and offered insightful advice that made us feel confident in our decisions. He truly cares about his clients and works tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome. We couldn't be happier with his assistance and highly recommend Tian to anyone looking for a trustworthy and knowledgeable broker.
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Patrick Winters
August 14, 2024
For the past three years, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with Mike Parsons. He has consistently helped us navigate commercial property loans with skill and efficiency. Mike’s timely and professional responses to our inquiries have been invaluable. We have built a strong, reliable relationship with him and eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration in the future. We highly recommend his services.
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Lee Robibaro
August 6, 2024
I am so thankful and grateful to have Scott Wilkinson as my broker. He not only looked after me every step from start to finish he gave me confidence and I was able to trust him and his expertise. My children and I are now happy in our new home and very appreciative of Scott's help. I will definitely be only having Scott as my broker from here onward as there is no mucking around and straightforward answers. Thanks again
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Steve Mav
August 6, 2024
Scott and the whole team at uno have been amazing. Super responsive and helped us achieve a result that we couldn’t have possibly achieved on our own.
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Thien Pham
August 5, 2024
Scott, Dalby and Jena were awesome to work with for my recent Home Loan, they are responsive and knowledgeable - which helped ensure a smooth purchase from pre-approvals to settlement. This is the second property I've purchased with UNO as my mortgage broker and would definitely recommend their services. Thanks again to the UNO Team for the awesome support.
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Scott Hutchinson
August 5, 2024
I am writing this summary in support of recommending Mike Parsons as a Mortgage Broker. At the time of writing this, I have known Mike for 4 years and he has executed 4 mortgages deals for me (including 2 refinances) over that time. Mike has provided me incredible service as a mortgage broker as follows : - Works painstakingly on getting the scenarios together to provide you options that optimize your position. - Works inordinate hours on the detail necessary to support the scenarios. - Mike keeps you updated on the status and progress of the applications and also helps you work through answering questions and any complexities that may arise. -In my cases, given the complexities and timings of my situations , these application processes would take many weeks to finalize . Mike never gave anything other than utter commitment and focus to getting the job done. Mike acts as a true business partner throughout this whole broker /mortgage journey. I simply would only go to Mike for any future dealings on getting a loan from a bank (and as will my kids in the future !) . There is no way a bank (I have seen anyway) would provide this kind of time nor service to a customer. You can rest assured that once Mike has done the deal, you have ended up with the most optimized position taking into account all the variables/scenarios in play. Scott Hutchinson
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Jason Seam
August 5, 2024
I've worked with Scott Wilkinson for my last 2 properties and he's been excellent. He sourced multiple options and didn't push a specific bank, tailoring his recommendations to me based on my requirements. I was specifically requesting a "medico loan" and Scott could navigate that extra requirement with expertise. When I was initially working with Scott, I was also trialling 2 other brokers and neither of those 2 had the same breadth of lenders, or could provide the same deals. I've referred multiple buyers to Scott and his team; one of them said to me after working with him, "how'd you find this guy, he's so good compared to all the other broker's I've worked with!" I'm going into my next purchase with Scott as my broker partner again. I recommend him to everyone
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