The Property Couch
The Property Couch
Ben Kingsley, Opti & The Couch Crew
Why Every Bank Gives You a Different Answer | FUNdamental Fridays
15 minutes Posted Aug 21, 2026 at 2:00 am.
The borrowing power question everyone asks
How lenders assess income
What is HEM?
The 3% serviceability buffer explained
Why lenders calculate income differently
First-tier, second-tier and third-tier lenders
How self-employed income is assessed
Credit cards and borrowing capacity
How HELP debt affects borrowing power
New lender approaches to HELP debt
Car loans vs novated leases
Online borrowing calculators explained
Using Moorr to estimate borrowing power
When to speak to a mortgage broker
Just because you can borrow more...
Updated $3,000 Per Week case studies
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Show notes
How much can you really borrow? In this Friday Fundamentals episode, Ben Kingsley sits down with mortgage broker Luke Oxenham to unpack one of the most common questions property buyers ask: "How much can I borrow?" The answer isn't always straightforward. Luke explains how lenders assess income, expenses, HELP debt, credit cards, business income, car loans and more, plus why different banks can produce dramatically different borrowing outcomes for the exact same borrower. They also discuss wh...