What NOT to do before applying for a home loan in 2026

Seeing the same avoidable mistakes repeatedly:

Don’t take on new debt (car finance, Afterpay build-up, credit card limit increases) right before submitting an application.
Don’t assume your pre-approval from months ago still holds under current serviceability buffers.
Don’t switch jobs casually if you’re about to apply even a higher salary can complicate approval timelines.
And definitely don’t rely on one lender’s calculator as gospel.

Small moves can quietly kill borrowing capacity. Worth tightening things up 3–6 months before applying.