Putting £600 a month toward a mortgage can go a long way, but how far exactly? What that monthly amount can get you as a total mortgage will be down to which lenders are available to you, the rates they offer and how reliable a lender they perceive you to be.
This guide breaks down why each factor matters, how to get the most out of a £600 a month budget and where to go for expert advice.
In this article:
- What size mortgage can you get for £600 per month?
- Calculate your maximum borrowing
- Other factors that affect your borrowing capacity
- How a broker can help your monthly budget go further
- Can you get a buy-to-let mortgage for £600 per month?
- Do you qualify for a government scheme with £600 per month?
- Get matched with the right mortgage broker
What size mortgage can you get for £600 per month?
It could vary from anything around £130,000 to £170,000. That’s quite a wide range but there are other factors at play where mortgage affordability is concerned, specifically what your annual income and regular outgoings are.
These key factors – along with how lenders calculate your affordability using a multiple of your annual income, rather than what your monthly budget may be – are outlined in more detail further along in this article.
Example calculations
The length of the mortgage term you opt for and the interest rate you’re able to secure will directly impact what your monthly repayments will be. The below table of examples uses the assumption of a 10% deposit and details how these two variables might affect the total loan amount.
Monthly repayment | Interest rate | Mortgage term | Mortgage loan |
---|---|---|---|
£604 | 1.5% | 25 years | £168,000 |
£599 | 1.5% | 30 years | £193,000 |
£605 | 2.5% | 25 years | £150,000 |
£604 | 2.5% | 30 years | £170,000 |
£599 | 3.5% | 25 years | £133,000 |
£598 | 3.5% | 30 years | £148,000 |
£600 | 4.5% | 25 years | £120,000 |
£601 | 4.5% | 30 years | £132,000 |
Being able to afford slightly more or less can also make a big difference so it’s worth seeing if there’s even an extra £50 a month you could contribute. The below tables give an idea of what £50 here and there can mean for your property search.
£550 a month
Monthly repayment | Interest rate | Mortgage term | Mortgage loan |
---|---|---|---|
£547 | 1.5% | 25 years | £152,000 |
£550 | 1.5% | 30 years | £177,000 |
£550 | 3.5% | 25 years | £122,000 |
£550 | 3.5% | 30 years | £136,000 |
£650 a month
Monthly repayment | Interest rate | Mortgage term | Mortgage loan |
---|---|---|---|
£647 | 1.5% | 25 years | £180,000 |
£652 | 1.5% | 30 years | £210,000 |
£653 | 3.5% | 25 years | £145,000 |
£646 | 3.5% | 30 years | £160,000 |
Speak to an expert about the mortgage you could afford for £600 a month
How to calculate your maximum borrowing
Your maximum mortgage borrowing will not be based on the amount you have budgeted for monthly mortgage repayments, in this case £600 per month.
Each lender is different and has their own way of assessing affordability alongside their own internal benchmarks that dictate what they can offer and to who. As a starting point, many use an applicant’s annual income. They’ll multiply it 4 or 4.5 times to produce a rough mortgage figure.
If you have good credit and a regular stable income some lenders may be willing to increase that to 5 times or 6 times a salary – a broker would know which are more likely to offer that.
You can use our mortgage calculator below to work out how much you can borrow based on the typical income multiples lenders use.
Mortgage Affordability Calculator
Use this calculator to determine how much you could potentially borrow for a mortgage, based on the typical salary multiples used by most UK lenders.
Your Results:
You could borrow up to
Most lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 4.5 times your household income, the standard calculation used by the majority of mortgage providers. To borrow more than this, you will need to use a mortgage broker to access specialist lenders.
Some lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 5 times your household income, a salary multiple you might struggle to qualify for without the help of a broker. This income multiple is not widely available to customers who are applying directly with a lender.
A minority of lenders would consider letting you borrow
This is based on 6 times your household income, a salary multiple you will struggle to get without a broker. Six-times salary mortgages are usually only available under very specific circumstances.
Get Started with an expert broker to find out exactly how much you could borrow.
Get StartedOther eligibility factors that could impact how much you can borrow
Of course, a mortgage isn’t just down to how much you want to pay – in this case, £600 per month – or how much you earn. There are several other criteria which could indirectly affect this.
A lender has to look at your whole financial picture to ascertain if they’ll agree to lend you the amount you want and what interest rate they deem appropriate. They’ll consider:
- The deposit: 25% of a property’s total value is the ideal deposit. If 25% isn’t feasible, some lenders will accept 10% and even 5% deposits. But if you have bad credit or debt, you’ll likely need a bigger deposit to offer the lender some reassurance.
- Type of employment: Being self-employed is an issue for some lenders but others – specialists such as Aldermore Bank and Together – won’t penalise with higher interest rates. Ask a broker which ones are best to approach if this is your situation.
- Other factors: Lenders will also look at your spending habits, credit history and any debt you have. In short, you want to seem as reliable as possible so that the lender can offer you the mortgage you need.
How a mortgage broker can help your £600 budget go further
As of February 2022, the average UK house price sat at £277,000 – a substantially higher amount than what £600 a month can typically get you. While a broker might not be able to get you into the £200,000 bracket, the ones we work with can advise on how to ensure you sit at the higher end of what’s possible to buy at £600 a month. They can:
- Share tips on how to improve your application so that lenders are more likely to offer you lower interest rates and agree on the term length you need, making your £600 go further.
- Scour the whole of the lending market to present you with a lender more willing to offer 5 or 6 times a salary.
- Negotiate a deal on your behalf, utilising their expert knowledge and experience in getting similar mortgages for other buyers.
- Find you a lender who offers high-income multiples and accepts 100% of any supplemental income you might have
Can you get a buy-to-let mortgage for £600 per month?
Yes. There are no stipulations as to how much your monthly repayments must be. However, if you earn less than £25,000 a year or don’t have 25% of the property’s value as a deposit, you might find it harder to get a lender willing to offer you this type of mortgage.
It’s also worth noting that most buy-to-let mortgages are interest-only so you’d also need to be able to prove to a lender that you have a repayment vehicle, aka a way of paying the full loan back in one payment at the end of the term.
Get matched with the right mortgage broker for your budget
In this situation, you want and need your money to go as far as it possibly can. You need an expert who acquires mortgages around the £600 a month mark on a regular basis. That way they’ll already know who you should submit your application to for the best chance of a great deal. This will save you time as well as money that’s better off going toward the purchase of your new home.
Get in touch by calling 0808 189 2301 or making an enquiry and you’ll be matched to a broker best for your situation so you can set up a free, no-obligation consultation.
Find the best rates you're eligible for
Get an expert to confirm the lowest repayments available to you today
About the author
Pete, an expert in all things mortgages, cut his teeth right in the middle of the credit crunch. With plenty of people needing help and few mortgage providers lending, Pete found great success in going the extra mile to find mortgages for people whom many others considered lost causes. The experience he gained, coupled with his love of helping people reach their goals, led him to establish Online Mortgage Advisor, with one clear vision – to help as many customers as possible get the right advice, regardless of need or background.
Pete’s presence in the industry as the ‘go-to’ for specialist finance continues to grow, and he is regularly cited in and writes for both local and national press, as well as trade publications, with a regular column in Mortgage Introducer and being the exclusive mortgage expert for LOVEMoney. Pete also writes for Online Mortgage Advisor of course!
Pete Mugleston
Mortgage Advisor, MD
Superb response and knowledgeable advisor
Steve, the financial advisor, contacted me within the hour and was very friendly, knowledgeable and professional. He seemed to relish my non standard requirement, diligently kept me updated during the day and we struck up a great relationship. Very impressed.
Peter Costello
Knowledgeable and Supportive
The team were fantastic and really knowledgeable and supportive. They answered all questions promptly and came back to me with regular updates. I have already recommended them and will use them again.
Dorothy
Prompt and Professional
A very prompt and professional service. The advise and guidance has been so valuable as a first time buyer.
Ayesha
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars across Trustpilot, Feefo and Google