How to avoid over borrowing on your mortgage
Tips and tricks to avoid over borrowing on your mortgage
Taking out a mortgage is a huge financial responsibility. You want to make sure from the outset that you can afford to repay your loan.
If you’re a first time homebuyer or thinking of refinancing your loan, here are some tips and tricks to avoid over borrowing on your mortgage.
Work out your borrowing power
Determining how much you can borrow for a home loan is an important first step to the home ownership journey. The amount you borrow will dictate the size of your loan repayments, which is why it’s important that you understand how much you can comfortably afford to borrow based on your income and expenses. To get a feel for how much you can borrow, you can use our borrowing power calculator.
Leave a buffer on top of your repayments
Don’t forget about changes that may happen in the future such as increases in interest rates, changes in your employment, your wedding, having a baby, or going on holidays. Factor these things in and make sure that you add at least 2-3% buffer on top of the minimum repayments. It’s better to be prepared to protect yourself in case of financial changes.
Take time to compare loans
You shouldn’t just avoid over borrowing on your mortgage, you should also make sure that your home loan will suit your needs and preferences. To do this, take time to compare different loan products, paying particular attention to the comparison rate. This makes it easier to understand the true cost of your loan, since the interest rate, fees and charges are all rolled into one in the comparison rate.
Save for a larger deposit
Many lenders require you to come up with a deposit amounting to 20% of the value of the property you are buying. It is much better if you can save more than that. A larger deposit means you don’t need to pay for Lenders' Mortgage Insurance and you start by owning a greater amount of equity in the property.
Final word
It’s important to be realistic with your property purchase so you don’t have to sacrifice your lifestyle, your guilty pleasures, night outs, and holidays just to make your mortgage repayments.
Find out in under 2 minutes if you qualify for one of our low rate home loans.
About the article
As Australia's leading online lender, loans.com.au has been helping people into their dream homes and cars for more than 10 years. Our content is written and reviewed by experienced financial experts. The information we provide is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives or needs. If you'd like to chat to one of our lending specialists about a home or car loan, contact us on Live Chat or by calling 13 10 90.
