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.
RELATED ARTICLES
About the author
About the author
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
