Australian Mortgage Approval Statistics
This page compiles the most recent publicly reported figures on new home loan approvals (loan commitments) in Australia — drawn from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and Equifax.
New Home Loan Approvals
How many new home loans are being approved in Australia?
In the year to March 2025, Australian lenders made about 208,134 new owner-occupier home loan commitments, a 7% increase on the previous year, with a total value of around $148 billion, according to ABS Lending Indicators. In the December quarter 2025 alone, the number of new dwelling loan commitments rose 5.1% and their value rose 9.5%.
Loan commitments are the closest official measure of approved home lending — they count borrower-accepted finance, not pre-approvals or applications.
Is mortgage demand rising or falling in 2026?
Mortgage demand surged in late 2025 then cooled in early 2026. Equifax reported mortgage enquiries rose 12.3% year-on-year in Q4 2025 — the strongest growth since 2021 — boosted by the expanded 5% First Home Buyer Deposit Scheme from October 2025. ABS data then showed new dwelling commitments fell 6.2% in the March quarter 2026.
Source: Equifax Consumer Market Pulse Q4 2025; ABS Lending Indicators March quarter 2026
Quarter-to-quarter swings are normal; the year-on-year trend through 2025 was clearly upward before the early-2026 pullback.
First Home Buyers
How active are first home buyers in the Australian mortgage market?
First home buyers made about 116,968 new owner-occupier loan commitments in the year to March 2025, up 4% year-on-year, per ABS Lending Indicators. In the December quarter 2025, first home buyer commitments jumped 6.8% in number and 15.5% in value — the fastest-growing borrower segment that quarter.
Source: ABS Lending Indicators; Equifax Consumer Market Pulse Q4 2025
Equifax noted first home buyer demand was strongest among Gen Z in Western Australia and Queensland, where prices are more affordable than in NSW and Victoria. For buyers fixing their file first, see credit repair for first home buyers.
Lending Standards and Approval Barriers
How strict are mortgage lending standards in Australia?
Australian mortgage lending standards remain tight. APRA reported the share of new lending at high loan-to-value or high debt-to-income ratios stayed low and stable through 2024–25, and from February 2026 APRA activated formal limits restricting new lending at a debt-to-income ratio of six or greater.
Source: APRA, Quarterly ADI statistics and DTI macroprudential policy
Tighter serviceability tests mean credit history and existing debts carry real weight — a default or cluster of recent enquiries can be the difference between approval and decline. Whether a listing can be challenged depends on the individual file. See our credit repair for home loan approval guide.
Related Statistics & Guides
Sources & methodology
- ABS — Lending Indicators (latest release) — abs.gov.au
- APRA — Quarterly ADI statistics — apra.gov.au
- Equifax — Consumer Market Pulse Q4 2025 — equifax.com.au
Mortgage Approval Questions
How many new home loans are approved in Australia each year?
Is mortgage demand rising in 2026?
How active are first home buyers?
How strict are Australian mortgage lending standards?
Getting Your File Ready for a Mortgage?
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Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Credit file correction services are subject to individual assessment and results may vary. This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Statistics are drawn from third-party sources current at the date of publication; figures are updated periodically and may change. Always check the original source for the latest data.
Last updated: 14 June 2026 · Reviewed by Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB · ASIC ACL 532003