An easy tool to help you with that is our Housing Loan Eligibility Calculator!
Contrary to popular belief, the amount you are able to borrow is not solely based on your salary, several other factors are considered when a bank is assessing your eligibility for borrowing the amount you need to buy your dream house.
These are a few factors besides salary that determine your loan eligibility:
1. Do you keep your Debt Servicing Ratio (DSR) below 70%?
DSR is a percentage of the debts you are servicing over the income you earn (DSR= commitment/income). Different banks will have different methods of determining your DSR despite it being based on the same information that you provide. To find out more about your DSR, read the article How Much You Can Borrow Based On Your DSR.
2. What's your risk profile?
Other than your credit records, banks would assess your creditworthiness based on many things which could include your job stability, spending habits, etc. The likelihood of default which is your inability to pay off your debts or service it (pay interest) is an important factor when you’re borrowing a mortgage loan.
3. What's the value of the property?
Properties that are on the market can be overpriced so banks need property valuators to confirm that the property you are applying a loan for is worth the money that you are paying for. This is done because, in the event of your default, the banks would still be able to recoup the amount you borrowed by reselling it back into the market.
4. Do you know the maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio or margin of finance that you can access?
Commonly, a 90% LTV ratio can be anticipated on a Malaysian residential mortgage loan. But if you hold more than two existing housing loans then the LTV ratio on the following housing loan is lower and is capped at 70%. Meanwhile, LTV ratios are even lower for foreigners as there are restrictions to those that have fewer attachments to Malaysia.
5. Age isn't just a number when it comes to getting a loan
The loan repayment period is usually up to 35 years from the first day of your loan or until you’ve reached 65/70 years of age (depending on the bank), whichever occurs first. A younger person (e.g. 21-25 years old) might have a higher chance of getting the house loan approved compared to somebody in their 60s.
6. How many dependents do you have?
The number of dependants affects your eligibility because they will be spending portions of your income. It will also affect your capability to pay off your housing loans. If you’re a husband that has a housewife and five children dependent solely on your salary it may raise a concern with banks.
7. Choose the right joint applicant(s) - if you're taking this route
The housing loan is supposed to be borne by you and your joint applicant(s), thus banks will access them to judge your joint creditworthiness before approving the loan. Your relationship with the co-applicant may also matter, it is less likely for parents and children or spouses to have disputes compared to other types of relationships such as siblings or friends.
8. Do you have a stable job?
This information will help banks determine whether you have a stable income. People with full-time, fixed salary jobs are considered more stable. As opposed to those who own their own business, which is considered less stable as there is no job security and their income is not fixed.
9. How were your past relationships with the banks?
Applicants who are loyal customers of the bank they are applying to may have an added advantage. But if you’re not, it’s not a concern as long as you do not have significant conflicts with any of the banks (e.g. CTOS or blacklisted from banks).
Do your due diligence to improve your chance of owning a home!
You can use the Housing Loan Eligibility Calculator to find out what the maximum you can borrow on your mortgage loan is before you go house hunting. Followed by finding attractive loans that would be available to you on your new house using our Home Loan Comparison tool.
Other than that when you’re purchasing a house, it’s necessary to have enough money to pay the down payment, valuation fees, documentation fees, legal fees, and stamp duties on the housing loan. Some banks can provide up to 5% (for insurance) and 2% (for legal fees) an additional margin of finance to finance your valuation and documentation costs.
Happy hunting and good luck!
*The above article is intended for informational purposes only. Loanstreet accepts no responsibility for loss that may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
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