Invest
First time in 15 years: Major bank points to new property pattern
Changes to credit availability and softening house prices has put prospective buyers in the driver’s seat for the first time in 15 years – but how long will it take to save with the cash rate so low?
First time in 15 years: Major bank points to new property pattern
Changes to credit availability and softening house prices has put prospective buyers in the driver’s seat for the first time in 15 years – but how long will it take to save with the cash rate so low?
ANZ’s Home Owner Lead, Kate Gibson, believes these favourable conditions could attract new buyers into the market.
“Buying a home is an aspiration for many Australians, and for the first time, we’re seeing suburbs and towns in every state where it is more affordable to buy than rent.
“This shift, combined with record low interest rates, is driving more first home buyers to look at entering the market. For the first time in 15 years, most buyers are not chasing a rising market,” Ms Gibson said.
How long will it take for first home buyers?

While the market conditions are favourable, many first home buyers will still struggle to crack saving a 20 per cent deposit in Sydney or Melbourne.
ANZ and CoreLogic’s research suggests that this deposit rate will take home owners more than a decade to save, meaning many can’t enter the market right now, even if they wanted to.
In this instance, record low interest rates hurts potential property investors as they are getting a lower return on their savings.
ANZ and Corelogic’ methodology relies on wannabe first-time home buyers being able to save up to 15 per cent of their income before a deposit.
Following this methodology, it will take the average Sydneysider 11.4 years to be able to save for a deposit for a home loan and it will take a further 46.3 per cent of future income to service the mortgage. Currently, the same person living in Sydney is spending 32 per cent of their income on rent.
The story is not much better in Melbourne, with it taking 10.1 years to save for a deposit for a house and a mortgage being 41 per cent of income. Currently, the average Melbourne renter is paying 27.5 per cent of income on rent.
About the author
About the author
Property
Young buyers poised for a comeback as 5% First Home Guarantee takes effect
In a move set to reshape the Australian property landscape, the government’s revamped First Home Guarantee is poised to open the doors of homeownership to a new generation of young AustraliansRead more
Property
AFG Securities waives settlement fees for first-home buyers, signalling strategic shift
In a strategic move aimed at easing the financial burden on first-home buyers, AFG Securities has announced the elimination of settlement fees on select loans, potentially saving customers up to $699Read more
Property
From trust woes to wealth: Australian agencies' secret to boosting prices
In Australia’s residential market, trust is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a pricing variable. Persistent distrust of real estate agents is depressing vendor outcomes and inviting regulatory heat, but ...Read more
Property
Reality check for first home buyers: Affordable suburbs with 5% deposit
In a significant development for Australian first home buyers, a new property search tool from Aussie Home Loans is set to transform the way prospective homeowners approach the market. As the Federal ...Read more
Property
Trust as a performance multiplier in Australia's real estate market
In Australia’s A$10–11 trillion housing market, trust is emerging as a crucial factor that sellers and agencies can no longer afford to overlook. Traditionally viewed as a soft metric, trust is now ...Read more
Property
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie makes a splash with Belmont buy as real estate consolidation looms
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie’s acquisition of the Belmont office, including its rent roll, is less about shopfronts and more about balance‑sheet resilience. In a market where listings ebb and flow with ...Read more
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Young buyers poised for a comeback as 5% First Home Guarantee takes effect
In a move set to reshape the Australian property landscape, the government’s revamped First Home Guarantee is poised to open the doors of homeownership to a new generation of young AustraliansRead more
Property
AFG Securities waives settlement fees for first-home buyers, signalling strategic shift
In a strategic move aimed at easing the financial burden on first-home buyers, AFG Securities has announced the elimination of settlement fees on select loans, potentially saving customers up to $699Read more
Property
From trust woes to wealth: Australian agencies' secret to boosting prices
In Australia’s residential market, trust is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a pricing variable. Persistent distrust of real estate agents is depressing vendor outcomes and inviting regulatory heat, but ...Read more
Property
Reality check for first home buyers: Affordable suburbs with 5% deposit
In a significant development for Australian first home buyers, a new property search tool from Aussie Home Loans is set to transform the way prospective homeowners approach the market. As the Federal ...Read more
Property
Trust as a performance multiplier in Australia's real estate market
In Australia’s A$10–11 trillion housing market, trust is emerging as a crucial factor that sellers and agencies can no longer afford to overlook. Traditionally viewed as a soft metric, trust is now ...Read more
Property
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie makes a splash with Belmont buy as real estate consolidation looms
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie’s acquisition of the Belmont office, including its rent roll, is less about shopfronts and more about balance‑sheet resilience. In a market where listings ebb and flow with ...Read more
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
