12/10/2026
๐ณ Why can an unused credit card have such a big impact on borrowing capacity?
Because when lenders assess your hom
They also allow for the credit limit available to you.
So even if your $10,000 card:
โ
has a $0 balance
โ
gets paid off every month
โ
is only there โfor emergenciesโ
โฆit may still be treated as an ongoing financial commitment when the lender works out how much you can afford to borrow.
In some scenarios, a $10,000 credit card limit can shave around 45,000โ50,000 from borrowing capacity. The actual impact varies considerably between lenders
and borrowers.
Before applying for a home loan:
๐ Review any cards you
๐ณ Why can an unused credit card have such a big impact on borrowing capacity?
Because when lenders assess your home loan application, they generally don
't just look at what you currently owe on the card.
They also allow for the credit limit available to you.
So even if your $10,000 card:
โ
has a $0 balance
โ
gets paid off every month
โ
is only there โfor emergenciesโ
โฆit may still be treated as an ongoing financial commitment when the lender works out how much you can afford to borrow.
In some scenarios, a $10,000 credit card limit can shave around 45,000โ50,000 from borrowing capacity. The actual impact varies considerably between lenders
and borrowers.
Before applying for a home loan:
๐ Review any cards you're not using
๐ Consider whether you need such a high limit
๐ Have your broker run the numbers before cancelling anything
Sometimes reducing a limit can make a surprisingly big difference.
The little things can have a very big impact on the final number.
๐
General information only. Borrowing capacity and lender treatment of credit cards varies.