ABS releases figures on new home loans
Housing finance figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today show the number of loans to homebuyers declined in August 2016, although lending to households building or purchasing new homes improved slightly.
The total value of mortgages for new dwellings was $3.7 billion, a fall of 4 per cent over the month, and adding to three consecutive months of negative growth.
Mortgage lending for new dwellings is now at its lowest level since September 2015.
In total, there were 34,349 loans to owner-occupiers purchasing homes (excluding re-financing), down by 1.3 per cent on July’s result and 7.4 per cent lower than the number recorded in the corresponding month last year.
Lending to households building or purchasing new homes fared a little better during the month. The number of loans for construction increased by 3.7 per cent in August, but was still 1.7 per cent down on the level recorded year ago. The number of loans for the purchase of new homes was essentially unchanged in the month (-0.3 per cent) at a level 5.7 per cent higher than a year earlier.
“It is pleasing to see lending in the new home market holding up in an environment where we are seeing the number of loans to homebuyers easing across the housing market more broadly,” HIA economist Geordan Murray says.
“Looking more closely at lending for new homes, the number of loans for construction has been gradually trending down since late 2014.
“This segment of housing finance is closely aligned with the detached house building market and lending activity has been generally consistent with expectations given the level of detached house activity.”
“In contrast, the number of loans to those purchasing newly built homes has been steadily trending higher.”
Despite a slight fall in value, the number of new housing commitments increased by 2.4 per cent in August, with 8285 mortgages taken out to finance either the construction or purchase of new dwellings.
“Over the month, owner-occupied loans for new dwellings fell by 1.6 per cent, but overall, owner-occupiers continue to account for the greatest share of home loans, with approximately two in every three mortgages taken out by owner-occupiers over the month,” Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch says.
“Due to a fall in new housing approvals recorded earlier in the month, there’s a growing concern by industry that supply constraints may be limiting opportunities for new dwelling construction.
“First homebuyers’ share of home loans continued to improve, edging up to 13.4 per cent, on the back of a marginal improvement in the number of dwellings financed – 3.5 per cent over the month – and growth in the average value of first homebuyer loans to $318,300 – up by 0.6 per cent on July 2016,” he added.
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