Estimates how much you could borrow for a home loan given your income, living expenses and dependants. Uses the Household Expenditure Measure (HEM) as a floor for living costs and the APRA-style 3% serviceability buffer that all Australian lenders apply. This is an indicative figure — actual approvals depend on each lender's credit policy, your credit score, and the property valuation, but it's a useful sanity check before talking to a broker.