Helpful Guide

How to Use a Mortgage Calculator

Estimate repayments and compare home loan scenarios before speaking with a lender.

Mortgage calculator illustration with a house, calculator, keys and home affordability checklist

A mortgage calculator is a simple tool that helps estimate your monthly home loan repayments. By entering a few key details, you can quickly see how different loan amounts, interest rates, and loan terms may affect your repayments. It's a useful way to compare different borrowing scenarios before applying for a mortgage.

The first value you'll enter is the home price or loan amount. You'll also need to enter the interest rate, which is the percentage charged by the lender each year, and the loan term, which is the number of years you plan to repay the loan. Even small changes to the interest rate or loan term can have a noticeable impact on your monthly repayments and the total amount paid over the life of the loan.

Mortgage calculators are designed to provide estimates rather than exact figures. Actual repayments may vary depending on your lender, loan type, repayment frequency, fees, taxes, insurance, and other borrowing costs. These additional expenses can influence the overall cost of your mortgage.

Using a mortgage calculator is a great starting point when planning to buy a home. It can help you understand what you may be able to afford, compare different loan options, and prepare a realistic budget before speaking with a lender or financial professional.

Quick Tip

Try changing one input at a time. Adjusting the interest rate, loan amount, or loan term separately makes it easier to see what is driving the repayment.

Try the Mortgage Calculator