Total debt across all loans cannot exceed 6 times gross annual income. GetReal uses 6× as its DTI ceiling — the dominant cap at mainstream Australian lenders as directed by APRA macro-prudential policy.
APRA's macro-prudential framework directs lenders to limit high-DTI lending. While APRA does not set an absolute hard cap, mainstream lenders have adopted 6× gross income as their practical ceiling. GetReal applies 6× as the upper bound for Ceiling 2.
Max total debt = gross_annual_income × 6
Max new mortgage = max_total_debt
− existing_mortgage_balances
− credit_card_limits // full limit, not balance
− car_loan_balances
− personal_loan_balances
// HECS/HELP excluded since 30 Sep 2025
What counts as debt
| Debt type | How it's counted |
|---|
| Existing mortgages | Outstanding balance |
| Credit cards | Total approved limit — not the balance |
| Car / personal loans | Outstanding balance |
| HECS/HELP | Excluded since 30 September 2025 |
| BNPL (Afterpay etc.) | Outstanding balance if declared |
Credit card limits are counted in full regardless of actual balance. A $20,000 limit with a $0 balance still adds $20,000 to total debt. Reducing or closing cards before applying can materially increase borrowing capacity.
Worked example — couple, $180,000 combined income
Gross income (couple): $180,000/year
DTI cap (6×): $1,080,000 total debt
Existing car loan: − $22,000
Credit card limit: − $15,000
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Max new mortgage: $1,043,000
↗ Source: APRA macro-prudential policy framework