Property buying guides
Plain-English explainers on the concepts that determine what you can borrow, what you'll pay in tax, and how lenders assess your application. No fluff — just the rules as they actually work.
Understanding your borrowing limit
Serviceability buffer
The 3% stress-test added to your rate that reduces borrowing capacity by ~$120k at a $900k loan.
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Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)
Australia's 6× income cap — and why credit card limits cost you more than you think.
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Loan-to-value ratio (LVR)
The 80% threshold that determines whether you pay LMI and your maximum loan size.
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Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)
What it costs, when it applies, and why it protects the lender — not you.
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Household Expenditure Measure (HEM)
The minimum living cost floor lenders apply — even if you spend less.
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HECS and your mortgage
Excluded from DTI since September 2025 — but still reduces take-home pay and borrowing.
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Stamp duty by state — 2026 rates
All guides are part of GetReal's methodology documentation. Numbers reflect official government data — see each page for sources. This is not financial advice.