The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed a surge in loan commitments for investor housing, with an 8.2 per cent monthly increase and 10.9 per cent yearly growth in December.

Overall, the ABS reported a new record-high total value of new loan commitments for housing, with an extraordinary yearly growth of 31.2 per cent, with owner-occupier home loan commitments leading the upward charge with a 38.9 per cent rise compared with December 2019.

The sum of new loan commitments for housing in December stood at $26.01 billion, recording a seasonally adjusted growth of 8.6 per cent, while that of new owner-occupier home loan commitments increased 8.7 per cent to $19.94 billion.

ABS head of finance and wealth Amanda Seneviratne said: “Loan commitments for existing dwellings accounted for 53 per cent of December’s rise in owner-occupier housing loan commitments, while construction of new dwellings accounted for 32 per cent.”

“The value of construction loan commitments grew 17.1 per cent in December, more than doubling since the June implementation of the HomeBuilder grant.

“Federal and state government measures, such as HomeBuilder, and historically low interest rates are supporting ongoing growth in housing loan commitments,” Ms Seneviratne said.

The number of owner-occupier first home buyer loans rose 9.3 per cent, a 56.6 per cent rise since December 2019.

This is the highest level since June 2009, when similar rapid growth was spurred by the temporary tripling of the First Home Owner Grant to help combat the global financial crisis.

States and territories

The value of owner-occupier home loan commitments rose across most states and territories. 

Victorian owner-occupier home loan commitments rose sharply, up 20.1 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms in December, after a 19.6 per cent rise in November. This reflects a resurgence in housing market activity that began in October as COVID-19 restrictions were eased in Victoria.