question a bit vague...but what do you guys think is the minimum/optimum stable salary to be earning in a month before u can consider to buy a house via installment.

lets say the house is at 400-500k range

Too general question. I would say at least 5k salary per month.

Get affordable housing and you can start earlier (3k salary can qualify already)

Too generic , however a quick check from the loan calculator shall be as following for 30 years tenure 👇



Rule of thumb, the home loan instalment should be cap at 1/3 of your monthly salary .

Hence 1/3 = RM 2245, your monthly salary should be RM 6735.

6735 nett also means 8.1k salary.. If follow this rule of thumbs how many ppl can afford property

To me, about 8-10k gross income / mth maybe.

Use House price =< 3 years gross salary.

Based on your logic, 10K per month (gross) earner should just buy max prop price of 360K?

It’s logic and not hard rule, one can earn 10K but can’t even afford 300K property due to overcommitment but another. It’s own responsibility when committing to long term loan.

There always other options :-

1) Go for unit below 300k according to affordability first, slowly upgrade to your dream house as the salary increases over time.

2) Use joint name & joint loan for the property purchase with your life partner/spouse/family

3) Go for longer loan tenure, drag as maximum as possible to lessen the monthly commitment

The main hindrance will be the upfront 10% down payment. Many will have missed out the 5% additional for the SPA, MOT & Loan Agreement. Total 15% upfront cash to be ready.

This post has been edited by nihility: Mar 1 2022, 06:17 AM

deleted. double posted

This post has been edited by nihility: Mar 1 2022, 05:58 AM

Generally, 5k should be able to start if you have no other areas of legal debt repayments (PTPTN, PL, CC, HP)

Then add another 10% of the monthly repayment to pay for fixed maintenance and that is the total fix monthly commitment.

If you have cash savings in FDs, then pay more upfront and borrow less. That will reduce monthly repayment. Some may advise to invest savings in other areas to generate better returns, but that is up to individual.

Avoid taking out from epf at current interest rate.

Bear in mind that bank is in business of lending money and they can also auction off the property if borrower default.

Borrowing is not always bad. Is just wherther you make the correct decision.

On the assumption you need the property for whatever reasons other than to collect rent, a 500k property is nice to have but can you be satisfied with a 300k property ?

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Mar 1 2022, 09:11 AM

Assuming a condo with 35 years installment when interest back to normal

Instalment 1830
Maintenance/utilities 400

Total 2200

Net salary must be 3 times more. So 6600 nett or 8000 gross.

I bought my 1st subsale condo, priced at RM450k, with monthly gross salary of RM3.7K. That was back in 2013.

Yes if don't want to be slave to the banks.

But I believed your salary have also increased by at least 1k as of today.

How was your life after the purchase?

You dont have to be a slave to the bank if you plan right.

Either rent or buy, if not staying with pama.

Lack of context from TS....
didnt mentioned anything abt his current installment and cash in hand

btw TS didnt reply in any of the post..

I think it must have been difficult. Because assuming he paid 50k dp, his 400k loan of 30 years tenure would be about RM1.9k monthly. At 3.7k gross or 3.3k nett, he wouldn't be able to save much, probably living with family, no car loans, no medical insurance, and no allowance for his family.


Not many. Hence why many have joint names these days. And those who manage to with lesser salary, means they paid a higher down payment, have other sources of income (non-declared type ) or with family money. It is really not uncommon these days that youngsters have their family to finance their purchases these days.

I took a 100k loan in 2005 for a 265k condo, and I was earning just above RM3k then. I was fortunate to have some success with my investments since I started working in year 1992 and with about 50k assisted by family. At about RM950 installment per month, I really could not do much, could save but not much, and I was living with my family.

Have since paid back my mum the money.