How much house can I afford?

Know your budget in minutes. Discover what you could borrow, estimate monthly repayments, and see homes that fit — with no fees and no credit check.

How much can I borrow?

As a guide, many buyers can borrow around 4 to 4.5 times their total household income — though lenders always look at more than salary alone.

Your income

Lenders start with your monthly income. Higher household income usually means more borrowing power, especially where more than one person is on the mortgage.

Your outgoings

Debts, living costs and other commitments reduce what you can comfortably repay. Lenders stress-test repayments at higher rates than you’ll actually pay at first.

Your deposit

A larger deposit increases your buying budget, can unlock better rates, and lowers the loan-to-value lenders need to accept.

What lenders look at

When offering a mortgage, lenders check whether you can borrow — and repay — comfortably over the term.

  • Monthly income from employment, self-employment or other sources
  • Monthly outgoings, including loans, credit cards and living costs
  • Credit history and how you’ve managed previous borrowing
  • Employment status and how long you’ve been in your role
  • Deposit size and the loan-to-value of the home you want to buy
  • Affordability stress testing at a higher “stressed” mortgage rate

This calculator gives a starting window of what you could borrow. A full Mortgage in Principle with a lender looks more closely at outgoings and credit before confirming an amount.

How our affordability calculator works

We use the details you enter to build an illustrative borrowing range and buying budget.

1

Enter your finances

Add monthly income, outgoings, deposit, an assumed rate and mortgage term.

2

See your borrowing window

We estimate borrowing using income multiples and what you could repay from your monthly surplus.

3

Browse homes in budget

Use your buying budget to jump straight into for-sale listings that fit.

Affordability FAQs

Quick answers to questions buyers ask most.

How much mortgage can I get on my salary?

A common rule of thumb is 4 to 4.5 times household income. Your deposit, outgoings, credit profile and the lender’s criteria can move that figure up or down.

Does this calculator do a credit check?

No. Our tool is free and does not run a credit check. It’s a guide to help you search with a realistic budget before you speak to a lender.

Why do lenders stress-test affordability?

Lenders need to be confident you could still repay if rates rose. Stress testing checks repayments at a higher rate than the product rate you start on.

What should I do after I know my budget?

Browse homes within your budget, get an Agreement in Principle from a lender or adviser, and keep stamp duty and buying costs in mind as well as the asking price.

See homes in your budget

Once you’ve got a buying budget, search the latest for-sale listings across London and the South East.

View homes for sale

Check stamp duty too

Buying costs don’t stop at the mortgage. Open a listing to work out stamp duty and monthly repayments for that home.

Browse listings

Talk to us

Questions about budgeting or finding the right agent? Our team can point you in the right direction.

Contact DecalTown