Homabu works out what you could borrow and comfortably afford each month, including the service charges and other costs most calculators leave out. Then enter the details of a home you’re interested in, such as its price, lease length and property type, to see how lenders are likely to view it and how the price compares with recent sales nearby.
Named after Mount Homabu in Papua New Guinea: from higher up, you see the whole picture.
Can you get a mortgage on it? For a buyer earning £45,000 with a £25,000 deposit, Homabu’s answer is: fewer lenders will consider this property, and the price is £30,500 more than you could borrow on it.
Check a property you’ve found →45 years at the end of a 30-year mortgage. Accepted by 9 of 25 major lenders, and 3 more would refer it for a decision.
More than 10% above the upper quartile of recent sales, so the lender’s valuation could come in below the price.
Within typical lender limits.
Example result from the Homabu property check. Lender figures from the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook; prices from HM Land Registry.
A first look in under a minute. It doesn’t yet account for the property itself; plan your purchase in full for that.
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General information, not mortgage advice. Figures are estimates based on typical UK lending criteria and will vary by lender and circumstances.
Most calculators assume 4–4.5 times your income. Some lenders go higher for certain buyers, but rarely on properties like short leases or ex-local-authority flats. Homabu shows every tier, and what each one rules out.
Most borrowers, with no special criteria. The default at most high-street lenders.
No property restrictions specific to the tier.
Higher earners, or first-time buyers through schemes like Nationwide’s Helping Hand, often at fairly modest incomes.
Usually excludes ex-local-authority flats, short leases and flats above shops; some exclude new builds.
Qualifying professions, high combined incomes, or private banking relationships.
Usually excludes ex-local-authority flats, short leases and flats above shops.
| Tier | Multiple | Who qualifies | Property restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 4.0x | Most borrowers, no special criteria | None specific to the tier |
| Standard (top of range) | 4.5x | Most borrowers, no special criteria | None specific to the tier |
| Enhanced | 5.0x | Higher earners (often £75k+) | Usually excludes ex-LA, short lease, above-shop |
| Enhanced / First-time buyer boost | 5.5x | Higher earners, or FTBs via schemes like Nationwide's Helping Hand | Standard construction only — excludes ex-LA, short lease, above-shop, some new-builds |
| First-time buyer boost / Professional | 6.0x | Some FTB schemes stretch here; entry point for professional mortgages | Usually excludes ex-LA, short lease, above-shop, some new-builds |
| Professional / high-multiple | 6.5x | Qualifying professions or £150k+ combined income | Usually excludes ex-LA, short lease, above-shop |
| High-net-worth / private bank | 7.0x | Very high income/assets, typically via private banking, outside standard FCA multiple framework | Usually excludes ex-LA, short lease, above-shop |
Lenders turn cases down for four main reasons: affordability, the deposit, the property itself, and credit history. Homabu checks the first three before you spend money on a survey or a solicitor.
of first-time buyers have been declined for a mortgage.
agreed sales fell through before completion in 2025. A third of those collapsed because the buyer’s mortgage fell through.
is the average cost to a buyer when a purchase collapses.
Sources: Aldermore First Time Buyer Index 2026 (Opinium, 2,500 adults); Quick Move Now, 2025 fall-throughs and Q2 2026 reasons; Sell House Fast via Property Reporter (October 2025).
Homabu helps buyers, many of them buying for the first time, avoid these pitfalls. Here’s what it checks for you, and where.
Works out what you could borrow at every mortgage tier, after your existing debts and service charges, with a safety margin so you don’t offer at your absolute limit.
Set your budget → The propertyChecks the lease against 25 major lenders’ published rules, flags property types lenders restrict (ex-local-authority, above shops, non-standard construction), and compares the asking price with recent sales from HM Land Registry.
Check a property → The depositSome homes need a bigger deposit than the usual 5%. The property check works out what lenders are likely to ask for on that home, and whether you have it.
Check a property →Credit history isn’t something Homabu can check. How to check your credit report · All guides